Caleb Williams started his journey in Washington, D.C., moved to Oklahoma, then to Southern California, and now plays for the Chicago Bears. He mentioned this week that he has only returned to the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) area a couple of times in the past five years.

This Sunday, as the Bears go up against the Washington Commanders, Williams described the game as a particularly meaningful homecoming since he has exhausted his ticket allotment and is even trying to accommodate additional requests.

“It’s going to be great. It’s going to be fun,” Williams expressed on Wednesday. “But the top priority is to come away with a win.”

This matchup is filled with significant narratives for Williams: it’s a homecoming, a reunion, and a clash between the top two prospects in the upcoming 2024 draft, although that showdown may need to wait.

A Meaningful Homecoming

Williams was born in Maryland, spending his early years in Bowie and Upper Marlboro, before attending Gonzaga High School in D.C., where he lived just a block away.

He fondly described the area as one of the best places to grow up.

“There’s a rich diversity in many aspects, whether it’s the people, the schools, or even the food,” said Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2022.

Williams appreciated the local monuments and the access to U.S. history, which he found inspiring during his upbringing.

“Growing up here provided a wealth of information and facilitated a lot of personal growth,” he said. “I truly believe it contributed to my development.”

While leading Gonzaga to a championship in 2018 with a last-second Hail Mary throw, his senior season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, he emerged as the top dual-threat quarterback in his class and later joined Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma before moving on to USC.

When asked if he was focused on the homecoming aspect of the game against Washington, Williams replied, “No. My role is to win games on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays. That’s all that matters.”

Reconnecting with the Past

As the Commanders struggled under former coach Ron Rivera, posting a 4-13 record in 2023, the likelihood of Williams returning to the DMV faded. The Carolina Panthers had the worst record and, per their trade agreement with the Bears, their eventual No. 1 draft pick was designated for Chicago.

During the draft preparations, while the Bears were finalizing their selection of Williams as the No. 1 pick, head coach Matt Eberflus was interviewing potential offensive coordinators. One candidate was Kliff Kingsbury, the former head coach of Texas Tech and the Arizona Cardinals, who had spent the previous year on USC’s coaching staff.

“We kept in touch, but I didn’t give it much thought,” Williams remarked about that time. “I didn’t know for sure I would be a Bear; I just knew it was one of my options.”

Ultimately, Eberflus chose Shane Waldron for the offensive coordinator role.

Kingsbury took on the role of offensive coordinator with the Commanders instead. He opted not to comment on his interview with the Bears, even after Eberflus said, “It was a very informative meeting for both parties.”

“He’s a phenomenal talent,” Kingsbury said about Williams. “Watching his practices and games, his skills and instincts are extraordinary. He’s poised to be one of the league’s top players for many years.”

Due to the limitations of Kingsbury’s role as senior offensive analyst, he couldn’t work directly with the Trojans on the field. Williams frequently asked Kingsbury about the nuances of becoming a professional quarterback, knowing that Kingsbury had successfully coached Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray. Preparing Williams for the NFL was a crucial element of Kingsbury’s responsibilities.

“I believe it has prepared me for moments like this,” Williams said.

Quinn emphasized that the Commanders did thorough research on Williams before the draft, anticipating the small chance that the Bears wouldn’t select him first. Having Kingsbury’s input was invaluable for the evaluation process.

“(Williams has) an excellent reputation from everyone he’s worked with, from D.C. to Oklahoma to USC,” Quinn said. “His work ethic and play-making ability consistently stood out. I had a strong impression he would excel anywhere.”

Williams’ competitive nature and ability to make plays while on the move impressed Kingsbury significantly.

“He always wanted the ball in critical situations – almost to a fault,” Kingsbury noted, “sometimes opting for a more challenging play rather than an easier pass, because he’s that competitive. It reminded me of a player I worked with at Texas Tech who showed similar tendencies early in his career.”

An Anticipated Matchup That May Not Happen

With Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels likely sidelined due to a rib injury, the anticipated encounter between the top two picks in the 2024 draft may not occur this Sunday. Daniels returned to practice on Friday.

Daniels had a strong start to his professional career, earning Rookie of the Month honors for September.

“It’s been exciting to see his evolution from Arizona State to LSU and now flourishing in the pros,” Williams said of Daniels. “He’s been performing exceptionally well with Kliff and his team. I’m happy for him and glad to witness his success.”

Williams is clearly eager for their matchup but has expressed a strong commitment to focus on the game ahead.

Daniels is set to take the field that day, but he isn’t focused on trying to intercept any of his passes or take him down.

“I’m not depending on that matchup,” Williams stated.

While Daniels experienced a spectacular start to his career, Williams’ journey has been more gradual. However, he raised his completion rate by almost 15 percentage points during Weeks 4 to 6 compared to the first three games of the season, with his expected points added per dropback soaring from -0.27 (28th in the NFL) to 0.33 (third place). His performance against blitzes also saw improvement, jumping from 29th to seventh place.

Commanders’ defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. emphasized Williams’ knack for throwing from various arm angles and his ability to maneuver effectively within the pocket. He noted that the offensive strategies evolved after the second or third game of the Bears’ season.

Williams expressed his desire to enhance his long-ball throwing and to boost the team’s scoring in the first quarter.

Williams attributed these improvements to several meetings with Bears offensive players and Waldron, where they discussed successful and unsuccessful plays, his preferences, and what the rhythm of the play calling and execution should resemble.

“I think he’s done well navigating through the chaos,” Eberflus remarked. “He has also grasped the essential operations of effective quarterbacking, which is evident in his execution these past few weeks.”