The message in Chicago is simple: Last season was fun, but it’s over, done, and fell short of the ultimate goal.
The Bears completely flipped the script in Ben Johnson’s first season and became a team that could win in tough times instead of collapsing. Chicago reeled off a string of comeback wins en route to the NFC North title and nearly reached the NFC Championship Game after an epic 14-yard TD pass sent their division-clinching game into overtime before falling, 20-17, to the Los Angeles Rams.
However, winning 11 games, the division and even a home game against the rival Packers is not where Caleb Williams and Co. see themselves
“It was good for me to be able to see, to be able to feel, to be able to go out there and win games,” Williams said Monday at the start of voluntary practice. “But that wasn’t my goal, that’s not my goal. That’s not where I want to be. I want to be the best. I want to win. I want to be, as we call it, a world champion, a Super Bowl champion. I want to be the Bears’ best quarterback, the best quarterback. Yeah, it was a good stepping stone for me, but it wasn’t the last step.
“To be able to grow from last year and be able to progress in the way that I want to. Last year was nothing really. It was a good year and we have many more good years ahead of us.”