Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been in the spotlight for some time. From high school to starring at Oklahoma, and then winning the Heisman at USC. So, it is no surprise to hear players like Von Miller have heard of the second-year passer.
It may be more so to hear Miller say that he has long been a fan of the Bears’ young QB, but that is certainly the case.
Moreover, Miller was highly complimentary of the Bears as a whole before their Week 6 tilt.
Von Miller Drops Strong Take on Caleb Williams Before Bears-Commanders
Von Miller: ‘Been a Fan’ of Bears’ Caleb Williams’
Williams went into the bye week taking a step back in his efficiency from Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys to Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
He helped lead the Bears to victories in both games and overcame a deficit against Las Vegas.
“He’s a special quarterback,” Miller told reporters on October 8. “Been a fan of Caleb for a long time, back in his USC days. I think Oklahoma – he was at Oklahoma before then, too. So, I’m a fan of football, been a fan of Caleb for a long time. He’s a special talent.”
Miller praised the Bears in all three phases and said, “They’re just waiting to break through.”
“It’s going to be a tough game on Monday night,” Miller said. “We gotta stay true with our fundamentals to get done.”
Miller is no longer a full-time player like he was en route to Defensive Rookie of the Year, eight Pro Bowls, three First Team All-Pro selections, and two Super Bowl victories, including one in which he was named Most Valuable Player.
He still has 3.0 sacks this season on a 39% snap share, per Pro Football Reference.
For context, five players are tied for the team lead with 1.0 sacks through the Bears’ four games this season.
The Bears’ 5 sacks are the fewest in the league, while the three other teams that have already had their bye week – the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Steelers – have at least 10 sacks.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Gets Honest About Hail Mary vs Bears
This game has garnered plenty of attention – and was almost certainly placed in primetime on “Monday Night Football” – due to the meeting between these two teams in 2024, which was won on a Hail Mary from Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels to wide receiver Noah Brown, thanks to an assist from Tyrique Stevenson, who was late getting into position.
The moment immortalized Daniels and Brown and sent the Bears into a tailspin they did not recover from until Week 18 against the Packers, who had one eye on the playoffs.
Daniels downplayed the impact of the play on this highly anticipated rematch, though.
“S***, that Hail Mary ain’t gonna help us win a game on Monday,” Daniels told ESPN’s John Keim during his media availability after the Commanders’ practice on October 8. “What’s the point?”
The Commanders were 5-2 heading into the last meeting, and they went 3-2 into their bye week in the aftermath. They went 6-1 after that to secure a postseason berth.
This season, the Commanders are 3-2 as they prepare to face the Bears.
The Bears players who were on hand for that game have taken a similar stance after being on the wrong end of the last wild play. They want to atone for their loss but are not clinging to the cinematic final play. Of course, the energy on the field during the game will certainly be elevated. That moment is a key reason why.
A win would give the Bears a three-game winning streak. That is what they were on when they entered the showdown in Week 8 last season. Then, they were also coming off a bye.
The Bears are hoping for a different outcome despite all of the similarities.