Chicago Bears fans witnessed history on January 4, 2026, as second-year quarterback Caleb Williams etched his name into the franchise record books with a performance that will be remembered for years to come. In a tense, hard-fought battle against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field, Williams surpassed Erik Kramer’s longstanding single-season passing yards record, a mark that had stood unchallenged since 1995. While the Bears ultimately fell short in a 19-16 loss, the night belonged to Williams and his milestone moment.
Heading into the final regular season game, the stakes were already high: the Bears had clinched their first NFC North title since 2018 and were preparing for a home playoff game. Williams, who had thrown for 330 yards against the 49ers just a week prior, entered Sunday’s matchup with 3,730 passing yards—just 109 shy of Kramer’s record and trailing only Jay Cutler’s 2014 campaign in Bears history. The anticipation built as fans wondered not only if Williams could break the record, but if he might finally push a Bears quarterback past the 4,000-yard mark for the first time ever.
The game itself started slowly for Williams and the Bears’ offense. Through three quarters, Williams struggled to find his rhythm, completing just 11-of-20 passes for 89 yards, with one interception and a passer rating of 47.9. The Bears’ offense sputtered, managing only four first downs on their first four drives. “We can’t dig ourselves in a hole like that,” head coach Ben Johnson said after the game. “I was disappointed in the offense as a whole, I let those guys know that and we’ll be better for it.”
Despite the early woes, Williams and the Bears refused to go quietly. Trailing 16-0 in the fourth quarter, Williams led a furious rally. Just 44 seconds into the final frame, he found wide receiver Jahdae Walker for a 25-yard touchdown—the very play that pushed him past Kramer’s record. The crowd erupted as Williams became the new single-season passing king for the Bears, an achievement three decades in the making. After a successful two-point conversion, the Bears trimmed the deficit to 16-8, breathing life back into the contest.
Williams finished the game 22-for-30 for 212 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. That final stat line brought his season total to 3,942 passing yards, cementing his place atop the Bears’ all-time list. Yet, even as he reached this personal milestone, Williams’ postgame demeanor was anything but celebratory. “Nah, I… no… I need to win the game,” Williams said, visibly frustrated. “We didn’t execute the way we needed to. That number is the number. So be it.” According to Williams, team goals always trump individual accolades. “I think I was brought here for those types of things and these type of moments – things that haven’t been done here to try and be able to accomplish,” he told reporters. “Like I’ve said before, the self-goals and all of that always gets swept under when you go for the team goals. That’s winning ball games. That’s first and foremost in my mind. That’s first and foremost for this team.”
The Bears’ late-game surge nearly paid off. After tying the game at 16, the defense forced a turnover, giving Williams a chance for one more signature comeback. But the offense stalled: a dropped slant, an intentional grounding penalty, and a short completion left the Bears punting the ball away. The Lions seized the opportunity, marching 39 yards in six plays and sealing the win with a 42-yard field goal by Jake Bates as time expired.
Despite the loss, the broader context of Williams’ season can’t be understated. In addition to breaking the passing record, Williams led the Bears to their first playoff berth since 2020 and their first division crown in seven years. He also became just the fourth quarterback in franchise history to throw for 25 touchdowns in a single season and set new Bears marks for fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. His development in just his second NFL season—especially under new head coach Ben Johnson—has been a driving force behind Chicago’s resurgence.
There’s no denying the historical significance of Williams’ achievement. Erik Kramer’s 3,838-yard mark had stood since an era when the NFL played a 16-game regular season. Williams did benefit from the current 17-game slate, but he also led a more successful team: the Bears finished with more wins than Kramer’s 1995 squad and Williams posted a lower interception percentage. As one outlet noted, “Williams’ team is playoff-bound, and they won more games than Kramer did in 1995 (9-7), and he had a lower interception percentage.”
Head coach Ben Johnson, who wore No. 12 as a high school quarterback in Asheville, North Carolina, has quickly forged a connection with his young signal-caller. Williams even arrived at Soldier Field on Sunday wearing Johnson’s old green-and-gold high school jersey—a public display of faith in their partnership. “We’re going to use this frustration. We’re going to get on a roll here starting this week,” Williams vowed, looking ahead to the playoffs. Johnson echoed his quarterback’s competitive spirit, emphasizing that while records are nice, “the most important thing is winning ball games and heading into the playoffs with some momentum and some good energy.”
With the Commanders’ win over the Eagles’ backups, Chicago secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC, setting up a highly anticipated home playoff clash against the Green Bay Packers. For all the records and milestones, the Bears remain the only franchise in the NFL to never have a 4,000-yard passer in a single season. Williams came agonizingly close, falling just 58 yards short of the elusive mark. That chase, it seems, will have to wait until next year.
As the Bears turn their attention to the postseason, Williams’ record-breaking campaign stands as a testament to both his talent and the team’s upward trajectory. Chicago fans may still be waiting for that 4,000-yard season, but with Williams at the helm, the future has rarely looked brighter.
