Seven comeback victories in 2025, each engineered in the final two minutes of regulation, including playoffs. That’s what Caleb Williams did last season, the most by any quarterback under 25 in league history, and it’s just a taste of the clutch gene this guy has been rocking since high school.
The High School Legend Was Just a Preview
Think back to November 18, 2018. Gonzaga College High School’s football team was in Washington, D.C., lights going out on their season. They trailed rival DeMatha Catholic 20-0 in the first quarter of the conference championship game, clawed their way back, even took a lead with 29 seconds left. Then, boom, an 80-plus yard kickoff return score, 15 seconds remaining. Gonzaga was down 43-40, no timeouts. John Marshall, a Gonzaga receiver then, said defeat was setting in on the sidelines. But with just 10 seconds left for the offense, a sophomore quarterback named Caleb Williams saw something else: opportunity. He was playing through a fractured ankle he suffered on the prior possession, but that didn’t stop him. He went to the offensive line: “I need you guys to block for me. I need a chance to get it down there.” Then to the wide receivers: “There’s still a lot of time left. We can make a play.” First play, he hit a deep out, got his receiver out of bounds just inside the 50, clock stopped at four seconds. Then, as time expired, a 53-yard Hail Mary heave to Marshall in the end zone. Game over. Gonzaga won. Marshall, who later played college ball at Navy, told me Williams “always known… that he has been special,” understanding “I am special. I have these abilities, but I’m not gonna let it derail me from achieving more.” That’s the guy we’re talking about.
“The Iceman” Takes Over The League
That inner belief? That’s the Caleb Williams the NFL knows now, the “Iceman” who’s ascending into superstardom in Year 3 with the Chicago Bears. He is arguably the NFL’s most clutch performer. We already talked about those seven comeback victories in 2025 where the Bears were trailing in the final two minutes of regulation. No other quarterback under 25 in league history has matched that. Williams himself said last year, “I feel more comfortable in those moments. I think my heart rate drops. Everything kind of settles in. It’s gotta-have-it moments. I think I’ve done a good job with that over my career in those gotta-have-it moments.” When the game is on the line, his pulse apparently slows down while everyone else’s is through the roof.
Dominance Without The Drama in 2026
This year, the Bears haven’t had to lean on Williams’ late-game heroics quite as much, which is saying something because he’s still lethal down the stretch. What we have seen, primarily, are the massive leaps he has made playing on schedule under head coach and playcaller Ben Johnson. Even without the full-on, last-second drama every single week, Williams is still delivering in big moments. In his first primetime showdown of the season, a Thursday Night Football game against the New England Patriots, the Bears took a 30-24 victory. Williams completed more than 76.4% of his passes and led two scoring drives in the second half of that one-score game. Coach Johnson said last week, “I love just where he is mindset-wise right now. No one’s more critical of him than himself at this point. … He’s the first one.”
So, while the Bears might not be needing those wild, final-minute heroics *every single week* this season, don’t kid yourself. Caleb Williams is still out there, lethal when it counts, and growing even more dominant playing on schedule. With that ‘Iceman’ cool and the self-critique his coach sees, you just know this guy is far from hitting his ceiling. What does that mean for the rest of the season? Only one way to find out, and frankly, I can’t wait.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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