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Mater Dei dominates Bishop Gorman from the start in clash of powerhouses

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Mater Dei dominates Bishop Gorman from the start in clash of powerhouses

It might still be early in the season, but Mater Dei and Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, the top two ranked teams in the nation by multiple ratings services, meeting in front of more than 8,000 fans could have marked a de facto national championship game.

And if Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium was for all the marbles, then the Monarchs (2-0) better get fitted for rings after their comfortable 31-15 victory over the Gaels (2-1).

“I told them in the beginning that there is so much talent,” said Mater Dei coach Raul Lara. “When we understand the brotherhood, and we stay together, and we understand our assignments and execute, nobody’s going to beat us.”

Washington commit Dash Beierly bounced back from his debut and completed 13 of 15 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 49 yards, showcasing the short-yardage, multi-facet game he displayed before transferring from Chaparral. Lara said Beierly needed to get used to the environment shift to playing at Mater Dei.

“The first game [I was] shaking some rust off,” Beierly said. “I came out confident [today]. The whole team came out confident.”

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Beierly connected with junior wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt for 49 yards across the middle in the first quarter, helping drive downfield to set up a one-yard rushing touchdown from Jordon Davison and a 12-yard touchdown grab by 6-foot-6 wideout Chris Henry Jr. to jump out to a 14-0 lead.

Mater Dei High quarterback Dash Beierly makes a pass from the pocket against Bishop Gorman on Friday at Santa Ana Stadium.

(Craig Weston)

Following up his first-quarter score on the ground, Davison added another to start the scoring in the third, skipping down the right sideline for a 23-yard touchdown. The 6-foot senior ended the contest with 99 yards in 19 carries. Mater Dei had 171 rushing yards overall.

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But it wasn’t just the offense working for the Monarchs.

Sacks from Abduall Sanders and Dailon Clanton on the Gaels’ first possession set the tone for Bishop Gorman’s offensive struggles. In the second quarter, Oregon commit Nasir Wyatt sacked Gaels’ quarterback Melvin Spicer IV in Monarchs’ territory. The stop led to a missed field-goal attempt.

Mater Dei sacked Spicer six times, with Sanders and Clanton tallying two a piece.

“When I got here, that was one thing that was very daunting,” Lara said. “It’s not even four guys. It’s like eight guys. They’re tenacious coming after the quarterback.”

Bishop Gorman scored a second-quarter touchdown — aided by Mater Dei’s eight first-half penalties for 71 yards. With less than two minutes left in regulation, the Gaels added a touchdown and a two-point conversion. The Gaels tallied just 152 yards of offense.

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Mater Dei remains undefeated against teams other than Trinity League rival St. John Bosco since the start of the 2016 season. Potentially two games between the programs still await in 2024.

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Gap between Chiefs and Ravens is bigger than toe that decided game

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Gap between Chiefs and Ravens is bigger than toe that decided game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Yeah … a toenail separated the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens as the final second ticked off the game clock in Thursday’s 2024 NFL regular-season opener.

Ravens quarterback and reigning MVP Lamar Jackson directed an impressive 77-yard drive, and for a few moments, seemed to have tied the game as he delivered a pass that only tight end Isaiah Likely could catch in the back of the end zone. And Likely did seem to get both feet down to complete the would-be scoring play, prompting officials to signal “touchdown.”

But film review revealed a smidgen of Likely’s right toe landed on the white of the back boundary line of the end zone, meaning he was out of bounds. No catch. Game over. Chiefs win 27-20. Waves of relief and jubilance washed over the Kansas City faithful. Heartbreak suffocated Baltimore’s flock.

A toenail? That’s it? Yes and no.

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The majority of the first 59 minutes and 59 seconds of the game reflected a far greater margin of discrepancy and the reality that even in a flawed performance, the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Chiefs remain the toast of the league. It also showed that the Ravens — one of the AFC’s elite teams, who also fell to Kansas City in gut-wrenching fashion in the conference championship game last January — have a ways to go if they expect to overtake the champs. So do the NFL’s 30 other teams.

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There were plenty of disjointed moments as the Chiefs kicked off their quest for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat. Three first-half drops in scoring position and an interception by Patrick Mahomes on a tipped pass prevented the Chiefs from taking a lopsided halftime lead. If not for defensive shortcomings that allowed Baltimore to score on a 49-yard catch and run by Likely to cut the score to 20-17 early in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs would have won comfortably.

But also on display:

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• The unmatched adaptability and creativity that serve as the hallmarks of Andy Reid’s offense.

• A near flawless performance from Mahomes, who aside from the interception to Baltimore’s All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith off a tip by Trenton Simpson, completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown.

• The development of second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice, who recorded seven catches for 103 yards.

• The heroics of another new weapon in rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who had a 21-yard rushing touchdown and a 35-yard touchdown catch.

• The continued dominance of defensive lineman Chris Jones, who recorded a second-quarter strip-sack to position Kansas City to take its first lead of the game.

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The list goes on.

This is the last thing the rest of the NFL wants to hear, but this Chiefs team is better than last season’s iteration. That was clear Thursday night.

Aside from the fact that Kansas City has the best quarterback of this generation and that Reid and Mahomes share a brain, the Chiefs appear poised to maintain their place atop the heap because Reid and general manager Brett Veach have built a juggernaut. They do so in a way that remains far from stagnant. There are core pieces, yes. But the evolution remains constant.

Year after year, whether it be draft picks or journeyman free agents, the coach and GM have excelled at finding talent capable of plugging holes and filling key roles — some for the short term, some for the long term.

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It’s a player like 2021 fifth-round tight end Noah Gray, who has developed into the perfect complement to Travis Kelce. Or 2022 seventh-round running back Isiah Pacheco, who has grown into a workhorse. Or first-rounders turned defensive cornerstones Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis, or Rice, a second-round pick in 2023. The latest difference-making puzzle piece is Worthy, a Texas product, who boasts a 4.21-second 40-yard dash time and started opposite Rice on Thursday night.

Successful drafts and free-agent acquisitions have enabled Kansas City to keep rolling despite the departures of key players like Tyreek Hill, one of the best wide receivers in the game. Kansas City’s brass simply looks for another piece and figures out how to capitalize on the replacement player’s strengths.

The principles of Reid’s offense remain the same, as they have for more than a decade in Kansas City. But the Chiefs’ ways of attacking remain ever-changing. Part of this stems from the creative freedoms the coach affords Mahomes and Kelce. But that future Hall of Fame duo’s leadership and influence on their teammates also breeds cohesion and versatility.

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“Everybody accepts everybody in this offense,” Mahomes said. “They learn so much from (Kelce) and they pick his brain and listen to him talking to me, and we build all throughout the year. You can see (Rice) picked up right where he left off, and (Worthy) made some big plays. … We’re going to continue building and building and we’re looking forward to getting Hollywood (Brown) back and see how good this offense can be.”

Mahomes on Thursday passed for nearly 300 yards and spread the ball around to seven pass catchers NOT named Kelce. The All-Pro tight end had a very pedestrian three catches for 34 yards, but that’s because the ever-increasing comfort and effectiveness of Rice, Gray (three catches, 37 yards) and Pacheco (two catches, 33 yards) means Mahomes doesn’t have to force-feed Kelce just to get the offense rolling.

The versatility extends to the backfield. One third-quarter sequence perfectly reflected this. Pacheco (15 carries for 45 yards) came out of the game after a 3-yard carry. Free-agent addition Samaje Perine replaced him, caught a pass out of the backfield and gained 10 yards. On the next play, rookie Carson Steele entered and rushed for 5 yards. The machine just keeps rolling because every contributor clearly understands his role, and the coaches have a firm grasp on how to use them.

Contrast that with the lack of consistency in options and production for Baltimore’s offense, and the gap between contender franchises feels far more significant.

The Ravens have an all-world quarterback of their own in Jackson. And this offseason, they signed running back Derrick Henry in hopes that the longtime Tennessee Titans workhorse could help ensure balance and ease pressure on Jackson.

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But Baltimore’s offense encountered the same problems Thursday night that it has throughout Jackson’s six seasons as the starting quarterback. Unless Jackson does it all, there is next to no spark. Outside of Jackson, who may go down as the greatest dual-threat quarterback the game has seen, versatility is scarce.

The Ravens are counting on second-year wideout Zay Flowers to continue to ascend. But Thursday, he was used in a similar fashion to his rookie season, when he primarily snagged quick hitters and tried to use his speed and elusiveness to break those short throws for big gains. Likely did rack up nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, but the Ravens struggled to get No. 1 tight end Mark Andrews involved (he finished with only two catches for 14 yards).

The struggles of a revamped offensive line left Jackson either scrambling to elude defenders or quickly dumping the ball off before plays could develop downfield. (If anyone could use a burner like Worthy, it’s the Ravens, who until hitting on Flowers’ draft selection last season have annually swung and missed at wide receiver prospects.)

It was one game, but Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have to go back to the drawing board because his offense looked a lot like it did last year. Unless the Ravens have the lead, they struggle to establish a run game.

As time started to wane, you could sense Jackson’s frustration growing as his line afforded him little time to operate from the pocket. So he donned the cape once again and started calling his own number.

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Jackson willed the Ravens back into the game, delivering 273 passing yards and a touchdown and 122 rushing yards on 16 carries. But although he’s capable, 122 rushing yards from Jackson is not the recipe for sustained success.

Henry, meanwhile, finished with 46 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. But he’s traditionally at his best in the second half of games, where after pounding away at defenders in the first half, his bruising runs begin to take their toll on the opposition and turn into big gains. But because the Ravens trailed for the majority of the game, they couldn’t afford a methodical, run-heavy approach.

Jackson and the Ravens said they drew encouragement from their game-ending drive, even if it did come up short by the centimeters of Likely’s cleat.

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Self-inflicted wounds from penalties, missed connections on open passes (two in the end zone before the last play), blown pass coverages on defense — and not the Chiefs — cost them the game, Jackson and his teammates insisted.

“They’re not my kryptonite,” Jackson said when asked about his history of struggles against Kansas City. “They’re not my kryptonite. … The whole game gives me encouragement because guys fought. We have to clean up penalties, clean up incompletions and work on scramble drills, make those throws and catch those. … It’s very frustrating, but we were busting our behinds out there. We’re trying to win a game out there, and it felt like every time we had a big play there was a flag and we can’t be having that.”

It’s a long season, the Ravens understand. But they missed an opportunity to make a statement against the Chiefs. They believe another opportunity will present itself. And when it comes, they expect to deliver.

“That’s the worst game we’re going to play all year,” Likely said, vowing that he and his teammates will improve as the season progresses, “and if this was the best they’ve got, then good luck.”

You have to like the mindset, but who wants to break it to him?

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That certainly wasn’t Kansas City’s best. And while the Ravens did manage to hang with the champs thanks to some late-game heroics, they’ll need much more growth to overtake them.

(Photo of Marcus Williams and Patrick Mahomes: David Eulitt / Getty Images)

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American Taylor Fritz eyes history, advances to US Open final after outlasting Frances Tiafoe

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American Taylor Fritz eyes history, advances to US Open final after outlasting Frances Tiafoe

History was going to be made either way on Friday night, but it was Taylor Fritz whose name would be attached to it. 

Fritz, 26, became the first American tennis player to reach a men’s Grand Slam singles final since 2009 and the first to advance to the U.S. Open final since 2006 after he rallied to defeat fellow American Frances Tiafoe in five sets. 

“It’s a dream come true. I’m in the final. So I’m going to come out and give everything I can possibly give,” Fritz said during a post-match interview.  “I can’t wait.”

The win makes Fritz the first U.S. men’s player to reach a major final since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009. 

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Taylor Fritz hugs Frances Tiafoe after winning a men’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

If he wins his match against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, he would become the first American to win a men’s Grand Slam singles title since Roddick did so 21 years ago – a feat he accomplished at the U.S. Open. 

Taylor Fritz celebrates

Taylor Fritz, of the United States, reacts after defeating Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the men’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

BRITISH TENNIS STAR JACK DRAPER VOMITS DURING DRAMATIC US OPEN SEMIFINAL LOSS; JANNIK SINNER ADVANCES

With history on the line, fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium cheered fiercely for Fritz after the match. 

“It’s the reason why I do what I do,” he said, speaking to the fans. “It’s the reason why I work so hard.”

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Fritz defeated Tiafoe 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to reach his first career Grand Slam final. 

“He was overwhelming from the baseline so much… and I just tried to tell myself to stay in it and fight,” he said of Tiafoe. “I told myself that if I didn’t give it absolutely everything I had — to just stick with it and see if his level might drop a little bit — then I was going to regret it for a long time.”

Frances Tiafoe wearing purple

Frances Tiafoe returns a shot to Taylor Fritz during the men’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The men’s final is slated for Sunday. 

Meanwhile, Jessica Pegula is looking to retain the U.S. Open women’s title for the Americans when she takes on Aryna Sabalenka in the final on Saturday afternoon. 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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What makes Caleb Williams different? Bears players, coaches share stories

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What makes Caleb Williams different? Bears players, coaches share stories

Rome Odunze preferred to sit on the bench and reset when the University of Washington’s defense took the field. He wanted to catch his breath before the next series.

Except when Caleb Williams was the opponent. He was must-see.

Odunze already had a perception of Williams thanks to a viral moment from Oklahoma. As a freshman, Williams took the ball from his running back who was about to go down short of the first down on fourth-and-1 and converted it himself.

“I was like, ‘Oh, OK. He plays a little different,’” Odunze said.

When USC’s offense took the field, Odunze didn’t sit down. He had to see, in person, what Williams was all about.

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“I was on the sideline watching like, ‘Oh, my goodness, they’re doing their thing.’ He was doing his thing with the scrambles, with the throws,” Odunze said. “That definitely confirmed it, OK, this dude’s got something different in him.”

Since Williams arrived at Halas Hall — as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, the Bears’ starting quarterback, and the franchise’s hope to end its decades of wandering through the quarterback desert — the descriptor used most often for what he’s done on and off the field is “different.”

Odunze saw it in college. Players and coaches had seen the highlights. Now everyone has experienced it at Halas Hall.

“I’ve followed Caleb since he was a freshman at high school,” wide receivers coach Chris Beatty said. “I’ve seen a lot of Caleb make some throws that you just look to the side and like, ‘Did you see that?’ That hasn’t really changed.”

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From how he throws the football to how he interacts with his teammates, Williams does not operate like a rookie quarterback. He is sure to still have the typical rookie ups and downs, but he’s wired in a rare way for a first-year QB. Throughout training camp, in conversations with The Athletic, players and coaches recounted their first impressions that told them what Odunze already knew: OK, Williams is different.


Caleb Williams’ Bears teammates have been wowed by his ability to throw on the run. (David Banks / USA Today)

The arm talent

As Tyson Bagent prepared for his new teammate, the starter he’d be backing up, someone who had seen Williams throw told him something that stuck.

“He was born to throw,” Bagent said.

Then Bagent saw it for himself, the things Williams could do that other quarterbacks couldn’t. As Bagent described it, the extremely confident quarterback himself was emphatic about Williams’ traits.

“Just a crazy, blessed athlete,” he said.

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Six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen could already see it when he watched USC highlights. Sure, catching the passes from Williams helped affirm it, but he already had a sense of why Williams was the no-question No. 1 pick.

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“Probably the way he throws the ball,” Allen said. “The angles that he gets to, rolling out, whether he’s rolling right or left, it’s pretty impressive the way he can deliver it. You could see it (on tape).”

Once the full team got together at Halas Hall to begin OTAs and then training camp, the veterans could see what this new quarterback could do. The throws he made were different.

Tight end Cole Kmet: The pick he threw (in camp). I know it’s a pick. But what a crazy throw, and Tyrique (Stevenson) made an unbelievable catch on that. But just those types of throws where he’s stagnant, maybe his feet get caught in the pocket, and he’s able to rotate his hips and create that torque and whip with his arm. It’s a very pitch-like motion for baseball; it’s just really impressive. And he’s able to layer the ball with good touch and feel.

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Defensive tackle Dashaun Mallory: He had a throw in the back of the end zone. It was one of those passes where it was like, man, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen any quarterback make that type of throw over two people, short amount of space for the wide receiver to get his feet in, and he throws an absolute dart.

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Beatty: He’s had some (throws) here in camp that you sit back and say, “Man, he spins it different.” He had Keenan on a seam, maybe three weeks ago, and just the way he threw it and the way it came off and the platform that he threw it from, you just look at each other like, “Man, did I just see what I saw?”

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron had seen all the “incredible arm angles” on Williams’ college tape, and then on the practice fields, but he wanted to experience it in a game. It didn’t take long.

Waldron: The first preseason game against the Bills, I know we had a designed rollout that he hit Cole on, you just feel his accuracy on the move. And then in the second preseason game that he played in, obviously getting out and getting on the edge on some scrambles and seeing how he is able to do that while also protecting the ball. There’s an elegance to it.

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Defensive coordinator Eric Washington: After I saw the screen pass in Buffalo … and the way he had to contort his arm, the way he had to fit the ball and just to feel and the timing of it — he held the ball long enough to get the entire defense out of position and for them to be leveraged out of the play. And so that’s unusual. That is unusual. Just to understand, OK, here comes pressure, so we’ve got one guy back here, and if we can hold this long enough and fit it through a tight window, we have a chance for this to be an explosive play. That’s not usual — that kind of feel and understanding how to make what the defense is doing work against them and make the offensive concept go. So there’s been a lot. I’ve seen a lot of things out here, his touch, his deep-ball touch, his ability to fire the ball with velocity at different angles and going away from the target. And all of those things are high-end skills.

Defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke: He’s extremely accurate with throwing the football on the move. He can change his throw position to make it happen, and he goes to his left just as well as he goes to his right.

The athleticism

When a quarterback scrambles during training camp, some completions that follow can typically be dismissed. The scramble itself should count as a win for the defense’s coverage and rush. The quarterbacks, of course, can’t be hit.

But exceptions can and should be made when something impressive happens — when you know that the QB successfully eluded the rush.

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One example came early in camp on July 22. Williams scrambled and then hit receiver DJ Moore streaking down the middle of the defense for a long touchdown on Field 1 at Halas Hall.

Former Bears QB Brett Rypien: It’s hard to simulate him getting outside the pocket and making plays. And, you know, he saw a little bit of it yesterday. …  You go back and watch (the touchdown to Moore). And those are the type of plays you look at and you’re like, that’s special. That’s stuff you can’t teach.

Defensive end DeMarcus Walker: That’s the thing with today’s quarterbacks, you got to be able to move and throw a dot while being uncomfortable. Because you got guys moving so fast and running 4.4s, 4.3s, 4.5s. It’s definitely challenging — a guy who can run like Caleb with his quick feet. … When I saw his film, I knew that Caleb could move. Justin Fields was fast — fast fast. (Caleb) is very quick like a rabbit.

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Rypien: The main thing is the on-the-run ability right away and the release is really, really good. That’s one thing you see these guys coming out nowadays. Guys that have success early, you have to have a lightning-quick release. The zoning defenders are so fast in this league. It’s so hard if you’re not able to get to your base quickly, get the ball out and get it there accurately. And he’s done that, and it’s gotten better and better.

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Running back Khalil Herbert: I feel like he has at least one a day, something he does that’s just like, “Wow. Did you see that?” Sneaky, athletic. … I ran a Y route, and he no-look threw it to me. I was getting ready to run down the field and like, “Oh, the ball’s coming to me.” He was looking down the field. So he just does things that you don’t see a lot of young guys do, and he does it at a really high level. He definitely makes some of those plays every single day.

Williams also made them during the preseason. The game against the Cincinnati Bengals featured plays that give defensive coaches nightmares.

The rookie quarterback did his part on what should have been a touchdown to Odunze in the back end zone, but he followed it up by running for a 7-yard touchdown that left two Bengals defenders behind him.

Hoke: The play that he scrambled and he scored the touchdown on, he felt those guys. The way he backed out of that pocket and that situation that he was in, just feeling the lineman and was able to escape that and score, it shows that he’s got a lot of pocket presence. He feels things around the pocket, and he’s extremely accurate.

The maturity

Any doubts about how Williams, a superstar in college, would handle being a rookie in an NFL building were quickly dispelled.

From how he handles adversity in practice to the way he is in the locker room to the way he handles his press conferences, Williams hasn’t acted like a rookie.

Wide receiver DJ Moore: I never see him down after a certain play. Just having that short-term memory is real short-term with him. He’ll let the play go and then when we go to the sideline, bring it up, go through the whole thing. That’s unique. If a quarterback can remember all the plays that he ran and the ones he messed up for sure, we’ve got something special.

Washington: I just like the way carries himself. He carries himself with a certain level of confidence and humility. Because he’s going to go through it a little bit, and if he does, or when he does, you know that he’s going to bounce out of it very, very quickly.

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Defensive tackle Andrew Billings: He acts like he’s been here. And that sounds crazy. Any rookie that acts like he’s been here, you don’t like it. But when it’s the quarterback, it’s needed. It really is needed. That’s what I watch. I watch how he is in practice. If everything doesn’t go well, like what does he do? Some guys are like, “Oh, man.” Can they go to the next play? He goes to the next play very well.

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Linebacker T.J. Edwards: I like when people come in, no matter who they are, rookies or a vet that signed, and they’re truly themselves. For someone to come in, especially first-round pick, all that hype, I don’t know what that feels like — he just came in and has been himself. He’s a positive dude, which I really like. … It’s easy to want to come in and try to fit this mold or narrative. He’s just himself, and that’s the best part.

Safety Kevin Byard: We’re playing cards. It may be me, Tremaine (Edmunds), Keenan Allen and Caleb. Since I’ve been in the league, I played with some good quarterbacks, he just seems like he’s part of the guys. To be a rookie, obviously, he’s already been put in a leadership position. I think he’s doing a good job bonding with the entire team and not just his offensive line or his running backs or receivers. He’s hanging with the defensive guys, we’re all hanging out in the back of the bus making jokes. You just don’t normally see that from a rookie who just got into a position where he’s around a lot of veteran guys, who’s around guys who’ve made a lot of plays in this league. I just feel like he just fits in so well with this team and the culture.

At Williams’ pro day, coach Matt Eberflus, Waldron and general manager Ryan Poles were all struck by Williams’ personality. Waldron saw Williams treating everyone at dinner, from teammates to waiters, with respect. “His ability to connect with everyone,” Waldron said. That was also evident during the preseason.

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Waldron: When you see him in the family area post-practice, you don’t have to ask him to do anything. He goes and says hi to people, like Hoss (Jason Houghtaling), our assistant O-line coach, and his family who (Williams) hadn’t met yet. Or you see him in the cafeteria in those settings and you do the right thing when you’re a good person and you’ve had the right values instilled in you from your parents, and that’s really showed up with him.


Bears players and coaches say Caleb Williams carries himself like a veteran, which is unusual for an NFL rookie. (Todd Rosenberg / Getty Images)

The confidence

If “different” is the No. 1 adjective we’ve heard about Williams, “confident” would be a close second. He’s acknowledged it, and everyone who knows him sees it. Williams seems to straddle the line well between confident and cocky, which is even trickier when walking into an NFL building as a rookie.

The Bears aren’t necessarily an old team, but they have plenty of veterans. Williams has assimilated nicely on and off the field.

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds: Particularly from a young guy, just seeing his confidence day in and day out. I think that’s the No. 1 thing that sticks out. Because no matter what the talent level is, if you don’t come in with confidence, it’s gonna take away from your athletic ability, your talent and all the things that you’re used to doing.

Byard: It might’ve been the second or third play (of the Bills game), and I think he had scrambled out to his right. It was something that most people didn’t notice, but he scrambled and he kinda held the ball out. It looked like he did it for no reason, and I was like, “What is he doing?” I asked him about it on the sideline and he said he does it because the end that’s rushing is trying to get the ball away from him. It looked as cool as s— on the field. I was like, “This guy’s feeling himself out here.” It was funny because it was the third play of his first game ever. That comfortability.

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Wide receiver DeAndre Carter: If you sit down and talk to him, his level of competitiveness is going to separate him from a lot of other guys. He wants to win and he wants to win above anything else. And not saying that it surprises me, but coming from a guy that’s always been in the spotlight, that has a lot of stuff going on off the field … for him to always have “winning football games” as the No. 1 thing that’s on his mind, I think that’s a little different or unique for someone in his position.

Linebacker Jack Sanborn: (It’s) just understanding … how defensive guys are kind of playing in each coverage and what stresses us out, and just being able to almost move us with his eyes. Like he did it early on in OTAs. He made me, for example, go one way and then hit a dig right behind me. Especially for a rookie coming out, it’s tough to do.

The leader

On Monday, Williams officially became one of Bears’ eight captains for this season. His selection wasn’t too surprising given the position he plays and the overall importance of it. But his selection was the result of a players’ vote. 

Those who have watched Williams closely started to see his leadership abilities emerge weeks ago through his interactions with his teammates on the field during practices.

Eberflus: I could see him being comfortable in the offense to be able to now step out on what he’s supposed to do and be able to step out and help others do their job. I think that’s what you do as a quarterback. You are a multiplier. You are an enhancer of other people, and that’s what he’s done. I started to see him doing that … probably in Week 2 of training camp, which was really cool, having him talk to Cole, having him talk to DJ, Keenan, Rome, (running back D’Andre) Swift, all those guys that he’s throwing the ball to and working with those guys to make it better. And that to me was so impressive. But he didn’t do it right away. He waited until he was comfortable and he knew what he was doing and then he started to feel the offense and understand where things are and how things run. And then he was able to interject and take a leadership role.

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos: Perry Knotts / Getty Images)

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