Caleb Williams has six fourth-quarter comebacks, a playoff win over Green Bay, and a franchise-record 3,942 passing yards in 2025. Now his own quarterback coach is telling him to tone his heroics down. 

"Bears QB coach J.T. Barrett wants more efficiency, fewer superhero plays from Caleb Williams," ProFootballTalk posted on X.

Barrett acknowledges the fact that Williams has the talent to make highlight-reel plays. However, at the same time, the last-second wins often mean the team is stuck in tight situations late in games.

"Late in some of those games, we were making some heroic plays, but it wasn't necessary if we executed in the first quarter and second quarter," Barrett said, via Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. "We might be up two touchdowns by the time we get to the fourth quarter."

Williams’ completion percentage fell from 62.5 as a rookie to 58.1 in 2025, last among qualifying starters. His -6.9 completion percentage over expected was the worst of any quarterback with at least 200 attempts. Furthermore, Williams' time to throw was the second longest in the league. So, he has to fix these issues before the 2026 season.

"You don't necessarily have to put the cape on and make those crazy plays because you already were killing them in the first three quarters." Barrett elaborated, urging Williams to play more efficiently in the early and middle parts of games.

Barrett has a direct comparison to Detroit, where Jared Goff completed 68% of his passes, averaged 7.9 yards per attempt, and posted a passer rating of 105.5 by working within the system. And Goff did it through steady and efficient play rather than flashy risk-taking.

Now, with Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and Luther Burden III back, the supporting cast is in place. However, it will only make a difference if Williams trusts it early, and that’s what Barrett is pushing for heading into 2026. 

Caleb Williams' Efficiency Remains the Next Step

Williams guided the Bears to an NFC North title last season, but the coaching staff would like to see the wins come with less drama and more efficiency from the opening drive. 

The Bears are not trying to fix a quarterback who cannot play. The late touchdown strike to Cole Kmet versus the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round showcased his composure, precision, and clutch decision-making. So, it's just that Williams needs to refine his game.

This is a familiar learning curve for quarterbacks. Players like Ben Roethlisberger, Patrick Mahomes, and Aaron Rodgers had to adjust to the idea that efficiency matters more than last-minute heroics.

However, it's up to Williams to make changes as the expectations keep rising. The Bears have six primetime games this season, where Christmas and Thanksgiving are headliners.

NFC North matchups already bring intensity, especially Bears-Packers, which deserves top billing after last year. Ben Johnson vs. the Lions adds another layer of intrigue.

So, the Bears just need him to be efficient early, get a lead, and let the game come to him instead of forcing miracles in the fourth quarter. 

Will Williams be able to make changes in his play? Share your thoughts.

Read more at Quarter Back Central.

Written by

Abhay Bharti

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar