Caleb Williams didn’t say anything Bears fans wanted to hear about Aaron Rodgers, but he said it anyway.
On a recent appearance on "Hot Ones," Williams called Rodgers "a magician with the football," and that kind of praise lands differently in Chicago. For years, Rodgers made life miserable for the Bears, and the numbers back up every bit of the reputation he built in Green Bay.
Rodgers finished his Packers run with a 25-5 record against Chicago, including 1-0 in the playoffs. In those 29 games, he threw for 6,965 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while posting a 109.0 passer rating.
That dominance is part of why Bears fans have a hard time admitting Williams is right. Rodgers didn’t just beat the Bears; he regularly looked like he had their number in every possible way.
But the bigger story now is that the balance has shifted. The Bears are finally on the rise, while the Packers are staring at a different kind of uncertainty. Green Bay doesn’t appear loaded with young talent, and the source of its next direction could hinge on whether it can get things done with Jordan Love.
Chicago, meanwhile, has a quarterback in Williams who already gives the offense a different kind of juice. Ben Johnson’s team also has Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, D'Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, and even Zavion Thomas in the mix. The defense still needs work, but the outline of the team is clear.
For Bears fans, that alone is a relief. For too long, the Packers matchup felt like a guaranteed beating. Now, with Ben Johnson in place and Williams under center, the mood around the rivalry feels very different.
Williams, for his part, clearly respects Rodgers. He can see some of Rodgers in his own game, especially in the big throws and arm talent. But he also has a chance to be more than that.
So far, Williams is 3-2 against the Packers, including 1-0 in the postseason. In those five games, he has thrown for 1,176 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions, including some huge screamers in that NFC Divisional Round win.
In Other News...
Ryan Poles Just Gave The Bears More Room For A Big Decision
The Bears created a little more breathing room for the future by restructuring the contracts of Joe Thuney, Dayo Odeyingbo and T.J. Edwards, a move that opens up about $17 million in salary cap space for 2026. For a team still trying to sort out the long view around its roster, that kind of flexibility matters. It can help with depth, it can help with retention, and it gives Chicago a little more room to maneuver when the next wave of decisions comes due.
Ryan Poles has made it clear his preference is to build through the draft and develop young players rather than chase splashy trades, so this is the sort of move that fits the larger plan. It does not lock the Bears into one path, though, and that is the real value here. With more cap room on the books, Chicago can keep more options open as it weighs how aggressive to be with the roster it is trying to shape. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Williams Has Bears Fans Wondering What This New Look Means
Caleb Williams showed up at a Cubs game with a noticeably different look, trading in the beard and goatee for a mustache and giving Bears fans something new to talk about on a quiet stretch of the calendar. The quarterback has never been shy about style, and this small change fit right into the broader sense that he treats his public image as part of how he presents himself.
Williams also did not have his usual colored nail polish on display at the event, though he has been clear that he does not plan to give up his signature manicures. For him, the nails have been part personal expression and part social advocacy, so the facial hair switch felt more like a fresh wrinkle than a full reset. [Read more 🡒]
Rome Odunze Is Giving Bears Fans Another Reason To Believe
Rome Odunze has been one of the steadier presence in Bears training camp, and that matters for a team trying to build an offense that can lean on more than one weapon. Ben Johnson has been pleased with the rookies consistency and with the way Odunze is contributing in ways that go beyond simply running routes and catching passes, a sign the wideout is earning trust in an important summer for Chicago.
The foot injury concerns that followed Odunze into camp have not shown up in his recent work, and he has continued to take pride in the smaller details that help an offense function. With the Bears assembling a deeper group of playmakers, Odunzes role should be a meaningful one, and the more he keeps stacking days like this, the easier it is to see why Chicago has so much reason to believe in what comes next. [Read more 🡒]