Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is on top of the world right now.
Williams is coming off of a sensational year in which he made major strides during his second season in the NFL. After a rough rookie season that saw Williams and the Bears go 5-12, Chicago made a surprise playoff appearance in his second year, advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs and coming within a possession of knocking off the Los Angeles Rams.
The 24-year-old finished the season with 27 touchdowns against just seven interceptions for a 90.1 passer rating and a franchise record 3,942 passing yards. As a result of his breakout season, EA Sports named Williams the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27, the first Bear to ever grace the cover of the football video game franchise.
While that’s notable in itself, what’s even more noteworthy is what Williams said during his appearance for EA Sports’ Opening Drive event in Chicago. As he was speaking to Heavy Sports during his media appearance for the video game on Thursday, June 4, Williams gave a major compliment to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback — and former Green Bay Packers player — Aaron Rodgers.
When asked who is the best quarterback ever, Williams gave the answer most would say in seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. However, for the second-best quarterback of all time he named none other than Rodgers.
“I mean, (Tom) Brady,” Williams told Heavy Sports when asked who is the G.O.A.T. “When you go seven Super Bowls it’s hard to…there’s not anybody close. And so it gets hard to debate that. I put Brady as number one, and for me, Aaron Rodgers is probably number two.”
Aaron Rodgers’ Argument as the Second-Best Quarterback Ever
It’s hard to dispute Brady’s status as the greatest ever. He won seven Super Bowls and did it with two different teams. What likely cemented Brady as the undisputed G.O.A.T. is the fact that he did it with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his first season with the franchise. To top it all off, he did it against Patrick Mahomes — regarded as the best quarterback of this generation — in the Super Bowl.
The claim about Rodgers is a unique one, but it’s something that isn’t crazy. The 42-year-old quarterback is a four-time NFL MVP, which is actually one more than Brady. Only Peyton Manning — with his five MVP’s — has more in NFL history. Furthermore, Rodgers will be returning for a 22nd season in 2026, which means he’s only behind Brady (23 seasons) for most seasons played by a full-time quarterback.
With that being said, while many consider Rodgers to be one of the best ever — certainly one of the top 10 quarterbacks of all time — many would put other quarterbacks such as Manning, Joe Montana or John Elway above Rodgers.
Why Caleb Williams Considers Aaron Rodgers the Second-Best QB Ever
It certainly also draws some eyebrow raises due to the fact that Williams plays for the Bears, which is the Packers’ biggest rival. Rodgers obviously made a name for himself and played his best years while with the Packers for 18 seasons.
One has to take into context that the 24-year-old Wiliams grew up watching Rodgers and he has a similar play style to the veteran quarterback. They both are not overly fast, but certainly have notable mobility. Furthermore, they’re both playmakers in how they can contort their throws, especially side-armed throwing motions. They both can also extend plays, as evidenced by Williams’ miraculous throw against the Rams in the playoffs.
The Bears won’t play Rodgers’ Steelers during the regular season. However, there is the chance that they could match up in the Super Bowl if both teams advance that far. Considering this is Rodgers’ last season, that obviously would be a dream matchup for Williams.
Bears’ Caleb Williams Gives Unexpected Take on Ex-Packers QB Aaron Rodgers