Bears QB Caleb Williams views Madden NFL 27 cover honor as a ‘small stepping stone’ to something greater he’s out to achieve
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams received a top honor this week after being named the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27, but he only views it as the start of what he can achieve.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams accomplished a “childhood dream” this week when he was announced as the official cover athlete for Madden NFL 27, becoming the 11th quarterback to grace the cover of the video game franchise just two years into his NFL career.
“The caliber of player he is, the plays he made last year, the games he was able to help us win, it was a no-brainer who should have been on it,” Bears right guard Jonah Jackson said earlier this week.
It’s an immense honor and one Williams surely appreciates, even if there’s a large debate on whether or not he deserved it. He also understands this honor is only a small sign that he’s on the right track toward fulfilling the big goals he has for himself in the NFL.
Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams is eyeing bigger things after gracing the cover of Madden NFL 27
“It’s a small stepping stone, it’s just another thing that I set out these big goals, I set out these dreams,” Williams said. “It’s another small stepping stone to tell me to keep going and that I’m going in the right direction. I’m in the position that I want to be in and I got the people around me from coaches to teammates and my support system to also remind me to keep going. . .
“This wasn’t the end all be all goal for me. Just a small stepping stone. I got some big goals that I want to go get.”
Williams has already accomplished some great things in his football career. He’s a Heisman winner, a former first overall pick, and already the Chicago Bears’ single-season passing yard leader. This latest accomplishment is the latest goal Williams as crossed off the list with many more to come.
When the Bears selected Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, he had bold claims about becoming of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He still has a long way to go to even think about achieving that, but like it or not, he is on the right track with the right support system around him.
“I think he’s wired the right way. He wants to be great,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said Wednesday. “When that’s the case, you can coach him hard. We’re showing clips in front of the offensive unit today and there are some things from practice that, in my opinion, he can get better at. So, you coach him just like you coach all the rest of the guys. And he wants that. He wants to be coached the same.”
Being coachable is the first step toward being the greatest and it helps having a coach Williams believes can become “one of the great ones” by his side. Next up on the list is establishing himself as one of the top quarterbacks, which he can do as soon as this season with Pro Bowl or even All-Pro accolades.
The biggest goal remains the same, winning Super Bowls. Not just one, but multiple. And time will tell whether or not Williams can reach those monumental heights.