Bears’ Caleb Williams reveals the best player he’s faced so far — and it’s not from the NFC

Caleb Williams has faced many top-tier players so far in his young career. Nevertheless, the Chicago Bears quarterback has now named the best one he has gone up against so far — and it’s not from the NFC.

The Bears have shown clear improvement since Williams arrived last year. The former USC standout is on track to become the franchise QB the team has been waiting for, stacking the wins that Chicago expected him to deliver.

Most recently, the quarterback guided the Bears to a huge victory in Week 4 against the Raiders. However, Williams was fully aware of the challenge he had, as he had to face the best player he’s gone up against so far: Maxx Crosby.

Caleb Williams identifies Maxx Crosby as the toughest rival he has faced

In Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season, the Chicago Bears visited Las Vegas for a tough matchup against the Raiders. The NFC North team left Allegiant Stadium with a narrow 25-24 win, marking Williams’ sixth NFL victory.

The game, as the score suggests, was far from easy for Chicago. It came down to the final moments, largely because of the solid defense the Raiders have built.

Maxx Crosby stood out as the Raiders’ main star. During the game, he tipped three of Williams’ passes, intercepted one, hit him as he was throwing, and even forced a fumble. Williams later acknowledged why Crosby is considered one of the best defensive players in the league.

“They’ve got a hell of a player over there,” Caleb Williams said of Maxx Crosby. “He’s probably the best player I’ve played against so far in my career. They’ve got a hell of a player.”

Maxx Crosby responds to Caleb Williams’ praise

Game recognizes game. Crosby responded to Williams’ comments by thanking the young quarterback for his words and saying it’s clear why the Bears made him the No. 1 overall pick last year.

“Hearing that from a really good player is cool,” Crosby said. “Our matchup was all day — all day we were going back and forth, and he’s a competitor, I’ll give it to him. He didn’t back down, he kept getting back up, kept making plays. He definitely has my respect. He is hard to tackle. He makes plays happen.”