Caleb Williams wants to become the first quarterback in Chicago Bears history to throw for 4,000 yards in a single season. Now, head coach Ben Johnson has sent him an honest message about pursuing that milestone in Week 18.
As odd as it sounds, no quarterback in Bears history has ever recorded a 4,000-yard passing season. Caleb Williams has a chance to achieve it in Week 18, but Ben Johnson does not believe the team should be focused on helping him reach that mark.
“If it were to happen that’d be great, but I think he would agree with me when I say our No. 1 objective is to win this ball game,” Johnson said on Williams seeking the 4,000-yard mark. “Whatever that takes, that’s our goal. We’ll see where it’s at at the end of the year. But that’s tertiary.”
Can Caleb Williams reach the 4,000-yard mark in Week 18?
The Bears are set to face the Detroit Lions in Week 18 in a tough NFC North matchup. While Detroit has already been eliminated, Chicago has not, and its final seed in the NFC is still undecided.
If the Bears win, they would secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC. If they lose and the Eagles win against the Commanders, Chicago would fall to the No. 3 spot, which is why beating the Lions is crucial.
Entering Week 18, Caleb Williams is 270 yards away from reaching the 4,000-yard mark. While that number is not impossible, it is still a challenge. Even though the Lions are eliminated, Williams may not have an easy path to that milestone.
In Week 2, when the Bears and Lions faced each other earlier this season, Williams threw for 207 yards. He has surpassed 270 passing yards only three times this year.
A more likely scenario
While reaching 270 passing yards against Detroit seems difficult, Caleb Williams could still hit a more attainable milestone and etch his name in Chicago Bears history.
Williams needs just 109 passing yards to break the franchise single-season passing record. That mark is currently held by Erik Kramer, who threw for 3,838 yards in 1995.