Caleb Williams facts for kids
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Williams with the Chicago Bears in 2025
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| No. 18 – Chicago Bears | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | November 18, 2001 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 226 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2024 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Caleb Williams, born on November 18, 2001, is a talented American professional football quarterback. He plays for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, Caleb played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners and then the USC Trojans. In 2022, he won the famous Heisman Trophy award. He also set new school records for passing yards and touchdowns that year.
The Chicago Bears chose Caleb as the very first player in the 2024 NFL draft. He quickly set many new rookie records for the team. In 2025, he helped the Bears win their first division title since 2018. He also led them to their first playoff victory since 2010.
Caleb Williams: A Young Football Star
Early Life and High School Football
Caleb Williams was born in Washington, D.C. on November 18, 2001. He went to Gonzaga College High School and played high school football there. Caleb is part of the Piscataway-Conoy Tribe of Maryland.
In 2018, as a sophomore, Caleb led his team to win the WCAC Championship. He made an amazing game-winning "Hail Mary" pass right as the clock ran out. He was recognized as the Washington Post All-Metropolitan 1st team player. He also became Washington, D.C.'s Gatorade Football Player of the Year. That season, he threw for 2,624 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also ran for 394 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In 2019, during his junior year, Caleb was again named to the Washington Post All-Metropolitan first team. He threw for 1,770 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 838 yards and 18 touchdowns. The next summer, he was named the MVP of the Elite 11 finals. Sadly, his senior season in 2020 was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Caleb was considered the best quarterback prospect in his class. He decided to play college football at the University of Oklahoma.
College Football Journey
Playing for Oklahoma
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Caleb started his college career in 2021 with the Oklahoma Sooners. He began as a backup quarterback. But during a big rivalry game against the Texas Longhorns, he stepped in. Oklahoma was losing badly, but Caleb led them to an amazing 55–48 comeback victory!
In that game, he threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 88 yards and another touchdown. The next week, in his first start, he threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown, leading Oklahoma to a 52–31 win. Caleb finished his freshman year with 1,912 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. He also ran for 442 yards and six touchdowns in just seven games.
Becoming a USC Trojan
In 2022, Caleb decided to transfer to the University of Southern California. He joined the Trojans to play for his former coach, Lincoln Riley. Caleb quickly became the starting quarterback and a team captain. In his first game with USC, he threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns, helping USC win 66–14.
At the end of the 2022 season, USC played in the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic. They had a close game but lost 45–46. Caleb had an incredible season, winning the AP College Football Player of the Year award. He also won the prestigious 2022 Heisman Trophy. He threw for 4,537 yards and an NCAA-leading 42 touchdowns. He also rushed for 382 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In 2023, Caleb continued to play for the Trojans. He threw for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also added 142 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. After this season, he decided to enter the 2024 NFL draft. He finished his college career with over 10,000 passing yards and 120 total touchdowns. As a special honor, USC retired his number 13 jersey in 2024. This is a tradition for Heisman Trophy winners at the school.
Starting His NFL Career
The NFL Draft Pick
Many experts believed Caleb Williams would be one of the first players chosen in the 2024 NFL draft. They thought he was the best quarterback in his class. People praised his ability to make plays even when things didn't go as planned. ESPN's draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. called him a "fabulous playmaker."
The Chicago Bears picked Caleb as the first overall player in the draft. This was a big moment! He was one of six quarterbacks chosen in the first round, which tied an NFL record. Since his college number 13 was already taken by another player, Keenan Allen, Caleb chose to wear number 18, his high school number.
Rookie Season with the Bears (2024)
Caleb was named the Bears' starting quarterback in May 2024. In July, he signed his first professional contract. It was a four-year deal worth $39.4 million.
Caleb made history by being the first top draft pick quarterback since 2002 to win his first NFL game. He led the Bears to a 24–17 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Later, he threw his first two career touchdowns. He also set a Bears rookie record with 363 passing yards in a game against the Indianapolis Colts.
He helped the Bears win three games in a row, including a big 35–16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Caleb threw four touchdown passes in that game. He also set a rookie record for the most passes without an interception. This streak lasted for 354 attempts over nine games!
Caleb finished his rookie year with several Bears records. These included most completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes by a rookie. He was also the first Bears quarterback since 2009 to start every game in a season.
Leading the Bears in 2025
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In January 2025, the Bears hired Ben Johnson as their new head coach. A main reason for this choice was to help Caleb continue to grow as a quarterback.
Caleb scored his first NFL rushing touchdown early in the 2025 season. In a Week 3 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, he threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns. He even caught two passes on special "trick plays" in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals! One of these was a two-yard touchdown catch.
During the 2025 season, Caleb became known for leading the Bears to many exciting comeback victories. He helped win games against the Washington Commanders and the New York Giants with clutch plays. His teammate, Luther Burden III, nicknamed him "Iceman" because he stayed calm under pressure. Caleb liked the name, saying "ice is calm, but underneath is pure energy."
In Week 16, Caleb tied Peyton Manning's record for most comeback wins by a player under 25. His game-winning touchdown pass to D. J. Moore was even named the NFL Moment of the Year! He also broke the Bears' single-season passing record with 3,942 yards.
Caleb made his first playoff appearance in 2025 against the Green Bay Packers. After a tough start, he led the Bears to a thrilling comeback victory, 31–27. This was the Bears' first playoff win since 2010! In the next round against the Los Angeles Rams, he threw two touchdowns. One was an amazing 14-yard touchdown pass that traveled over 51 yards through the air!
Amazing Achievements and Records
Caleb Williams has already earned many awards and set impressive records in his young career.
Awards and Honors
- NFL Moment of the Year (2025)
- Heisman Trophy (2022)
- Maxwell Award (2022)
- Walter Camp Award (2022)
- AP College Football Player of the Year (2022)
- Unanimous All-American (2022)
- Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year (2022)
- USC Trojans No. 13 retired
NFL Records
- Fewest interceptions through 1,000 career passing attempts: 12
- Most consecutive passing attempts without an interception by a rookie: 354 (2024)
- First player with multiple passing touchdowns, multiple receptions, and a receiving touchdown in a single game (November 2, 2025)
Bears Franchise Records
- Most passing attempts in a single season: 568 (2025)
- Most passing yards in a single season: 3,942 (2025)
- Most completions in a single season by a rookie: 351 (2024)
- Most passing yards in a single season by a rookie: 3,541 (2024)
- Most passing touchdowns in a single season by a rookie: 20 (2024)
- Most rushing yards in a single season by a rookie quarterback: 489 (2024)
- Most game winning drives in a single season: 7 (2025)
- Most fourth quarter comebacks in a single season: 7 (2025)
See also
In Spanish: Caleb Williams (fútbol americano) para niños
