Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams says he has full faith in GM Ryan Poles – here's why

LAKE FOREST – Days after the Chicago Bears fired Matt Eberflus, Caleb Williams stood at the podium in the media center at Halas Hall and took a somber tone.

The Bears had just lost in chaotic, dramatic fashion against the Detroit Lions, letting the clock run out with a timeout still in their back pocket. Eberflus took much of the blame in the aftermath, but Williams knew that he was partially to blame, too.

As Bears quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph later said, Williams will never forget the way that Thanksgiving Day game ended. It will be somewhere in the back of his mind during every close game he plays for the remainder of his NFL career.

“He’s always going to remember that, and he’s always going to learn from that,” Joseph said.

So what quarterback wouldn’t feel culpable when his head coach his fired following such a sequence. In the aftermath, Williams said it did weigh on him.

“I don’t really have control of it, but I have to roll with the punches and understand and move on and try and help this team win the best way that I can,” Williams said a little over a week ago.

Days later, the Bears were embarrassed in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, California. The loss exposed just how far away the Bears are from competing in the NFC. The 49ers were without an All-Pro tackle in Trent Williams, without an NFL Offensive Player of the Year in running back Christian McCaffrey and without a former Defensive Player of the Year in Nick Bosa.

When the Bears lose a starting tackle, it feels like the offensive line falls apart. When a team like the 49ers loses the best left tackle in football, Kyle Shanahan’s team is just fine.

That’s the difference between the Bears and a good organization like San Francisco, which has been to the NFC title game four of the past five seasons.

Sunday’s game showed the Bears that the head coach wasn’t their only issue. Fixing those depth issues – not to mention finding a new head coach – is going to fall on general manager Ryan Poles.

Eberflus and Poles were instrumental toward bringing Williams to Chicago with the No. 1 overall draft pick in April. One of them is already gone.

On Thursday at Halas Hall, Williams said he has full faith in Poles to turn this thing around.

“The amount that he cares about us, the Chicago Bears and wanting to win is why my faith is in him and believing in him and making sure that we get it right,” Williams said.

The amount that he cares about us, the Chicago Bears and wanting to win is why my faith is in him and believing in him and making sure that we get it right."

—  Caleb Williams, Bears quarterback

When he met with the media after firing Eberflus, Poles made it clear that any head coaching candidate better have a plan for the quarterback position. Developing Williams from a promising rookie to a dependable veteran is going to be the biggest challenge for whoever takes the job. The Bears have to get this right.

Pressed further on what he likes about the job Poles has done as GM, Williams noted “it’s not my job” to evaluate the roster.

“It’s just like playing quarterback, it’s a hard job being able to predict the future and making sure you get the right people here,” Williams said. “I think he’s, so far, done a good job. He’s gotten people here like Keenan [Allen]. He’s gotten people here like Rome [Odunze], myself, a bunch of others.”

Poles has built nearly every aspect of this Bears team. There are only a handful of players still on the roster who were originally acquired by the previous GM. While additions such as Allen and Odunze have helped the rookie QB, they haven’t resulted in wins. It’s fair to criticize the GM given the team’s 4-9 record.

Poles isn’t going anywhere. Team president Kevin Warren threw his full support behind Poles after the team fired Eberflus.

Williams, too, believes in his GM.

“There’s belief – belief, hope and faith – that we’re gonna get this right," Williams said.

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