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You can count former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth among those who aren’t sold on Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
Schlereth, who won three Super Bowls as a player (one in Washington, two while with the Denver Broncos), spent 12 seasons in the NFL and currently serves as an analyst for Fox Sports, so his opinions hold some weight.
On the June 28 episode of his “Stinkin’ Truth” podcast, Schlereth refused to refer to Williams as a generational quarterback. “There’s no question about the talent, but generational talent doesn’t mean generational quarterback,” Schlereth said.
When an X user challenged that view, posting Williams “will break every” Bears QB record and win two Super Bowls, Schlereth’s response was blunt: “I’d take the under on that bet,” he wrote.
Mark Schlereth Elaborates on Why He Has His Doubts About Bears QB Caleb Williams
For context, Williams has been called a “generational player” before — by current Broncos head coach Sean Payton in November 2022 — and Schlereth was responding to that particular label.
“Joe Montana didn’t have generational talent,” Schlereth said. “He’s one of the best quarterbacks you’ve ever seen.
“Tom Brady didn’t have generational talent, but he is the GOAT of all quarterbacks. Peyton Manning didn’t have generational talent, but he (was) great,” Schlereth said. “Drew Brees didn’t have generational talent, [and] he’s going to the Hall of Fame. There’s a big difference between generational talent and being an All-Pro great quarterback.”
Schlereth has a point — Williams will have to prove it on the field, and he has a long way to go to do that. Still, the rookie signal-caller has a good shot at setting some Bears’ QB records.
Breaking Bears QB Records Shouldn’t Be Difficult for Williams If He Stays Healthy
While Williams will surely have his difficulties as a rookie, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is doing everything he can to prep Williams for the pro game. Eberflus has had Williams working against the team’s starting secondary, and that will be the plan throughout training camp and during the preseason.
“We could do things differently where I say, ‘Hey, we’re going to have the ones go against the twos and the twos go against the ones.’ But I don’t like that. I don’t like it,” Eberflus said on June 6.
“I think that Caleb is a talent. A very good talent,” Coach Flus added. “His game will go to where it needs to be. I want him to see that in front of him, the windows closing, the variation of what we do on defense, and I want him to see that day in and day out so that when he gets to play somebody else it will look: ‘OK, I’ve been there done that.’ That’s how we’re going to keep it.”
Should he have his sights set on breaking multiple quarterback records for the team, Williams does not face a monumental task. The Bears are the only team in the NFL yet to have a 4,000-yard passer during a regular season of play. Jay Cutler is the team’s all-time leader in passing yardage with 23,443 yards, also holding Chicago’s record for TD passes (154).
As Windy City Gridiron’s Bill Zimmerman noted on X, if Williams averages around 3,500 yards and 25 touchdown passes over his first several seasons, those records will be in reach when Williams hits 29:
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