NFL analyst not ruling out Caleb Williams taking the Bears to the Super Bowl originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
No rookie quarterback has ever won a Super Bowl. No rookie quarterback has ever competed in a Super Bowl in their first season.
But can Caleb Williams become the first?
“This is my bold prediction. Forget guaranteeing the playoffs. … I think Caleb could lead the Bears to the Super Bowl in his rookie season,” Nick Wright said on “First Things First” on FS1.
Why does Wright think that’s possible despite there being no evidence to suggest its probability?
“We have seen rookie quarterbacks step in, be excellent, and the team be contenders,” Wright said. “… The idea that rookie quarterbacks don’t ever step in and have success is belied by history. And this Bears team is, I think, a playoff team with just slightly below-average quarterback play. They were a seven-win team last year and they added [Rome] Odunze, they added Keenan Allen.”
To Wright’s point, there are rookie quarterbacks who have seen and had success in the playoffs. Last year, we saw it when C.J. Stroud took the Texans to the playoffs and took them to the divisional round. Dak made the divisional round with the Cowboys in his rookie year.
To go a step further, five quarterbacks in NFL history have played in a conference championship game. Rams’ Shaun King (2000), Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger (2005), Ravens’ Joe Flacco (2009), Jets’ Mark Sanchez (2010) and 49ers’ Brock Purdy (2023).
There, we can establish rookie quarterbacks aren’t incapable of postseason success. Wright adds the Bears’ schedule favors an easy ascension into his first year, also. They face five teams expected to struggle next season in the first 10 weeks, including the Patriots, Commanders, Cardinals, Panthers and Titans.
The Bears don’t play a divisional game until Week 11 when the Bears take on the Packers. Because the NFC North appears to be one of the league’s top divisions next season, their 10-week start without…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-analyst-not-ruling-caleb-225248433.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2024-05-18 22:52:48
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