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Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff Writer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Speaking for the first time since the Chicago Bears fired Matt Eberflus amid a six-game losing streak, quarterback Caleb Williams portrayed a positive outlook on the effect that the changes he has experienced as a rookie will have on his career.
Eberflus was fired after a disastrous fourth-quarter sequence that saw the play clock run out on the Bears’ attempt at a comeback in a 23-20 loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving. It was the Bears’ fourth one-score loss since Week 8, which magnified coaching and game-management decisions.
Eberflus became the first coach fired by the Bears during the season in the franchise’s 105-year history.
Thomas Brown was promoted to interim head coach for the final five games just three weeks after he took over offensive coordinator duties upon Shane Waldron’s firing.
“It’s interesting,” Williams said of Eberflus’ firing after 12 games. “I don’t get any say or choice over that. I have to roll with the punches. Like I said, it’s interesting. It’s tough.
“He’s a reason of why I’m here. He drafted me. And so going through that and that process is interesting for me.”
Williams, however, isn’t concerned that the amount of turnover he has experienced throughout Chicago’s turbulent 4-8 start will hinder his long-term development.
“I think this is a stepping-stone of development, to be able to have all of this in my first year,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t say that I’m happy for it. Having these moments is definitely something that will help me in the future. Having these situational moments that it’s hard to rep in practice, having some of these moments, having your coach fired or coaches fired, and people being promoted. You know, things like that all happening within a couple weeks of each other, you know I think it would help me in the long run being able to handle all of this, handle this first year and being able to grow from it.”
Brown, 38, will move from the coaches’ booth to the sideline Sunday when Chicago plays at the San Francisco 49ers. Since Brown took over playcalling duties against the Green Bay Packers in Week 11, Williams’ Total QBR has gone from 39 to 77, his completion percentage has increased by 3% and his yards per dropback have jumped from 4.9 to 6.2. The rookie hasn’t turned the ball over while throwing five touchdowns since Brown’s first game calling plays in Week 11.
The interim head coach will now need to strike a balance between prioritizing Williams’ continued development and his responsibilities over the rest of the team.
“I would say first off, I am not the sole person responsible for Caleb’s development,” Brown said. “He has a big part in that. Obviously, I have been charged with kind of leading the way with him and the team now as well. But I think his response has been awesome. My job is to be an effective communicator, be honest and be direct about what he’s doing well and what he’s not doing well, and I have the same exact message for the team.”
Williams referenced “rolling with the punches” six times during his Wednesday news conference at Halas Hall. That mindset is what the quarterback has leaned on while weathering change sparked by decisions that are out of his control.
How he has channeled that mentality in the first 12 games of his NFL career is what he plans to use for the next 12 and beyond.
“I think it is a stepping-stone actually with my development because I think down the line, I’ll have different OCs or different head coaches or whatever the case may be,” Williams said. “And so being able to handle it my first year, handle a new playbook, handle all these different changes, handle all of this I think it definitely will help the development instead of hurting it or anything like that.”
