Well, sometimes nostalgia can really give you more than just goosebumps. And this one might even send a reminder to Dak Prescott, about how good his 2016 rookie season was. As for Caleb Williams and the Bears, well, it could sum up their 2024 season. One was all fireworks and confetti; the other, well, not so much. Dak walked in as the Cowboys’ savior, leading them to a 13-3 record and earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Caleb? He got the Bears to a less-than-stellar 5-12 finish. Big difference, huh?

Caleb did set some franchise records, but it’s hard to ignore the underwhelming results compared to Dak’s electric debut. Caleb had the aura and the fanfare with him. And why not? He talked big, too. Remember his ‘eight Super Bowls’ goal? Ambitious, sure. But the execution? Not quite there yet. Even Tom Brady chimed in, saying, “You have to set your goals high… but a lot goes into winning one Super Bowl.”

That was preseason. And there was another big statement, or rather, now we can call it a prediction. Appearing on the Unwanted Opinion podcast in April, Dak’s brother, Tad Prescott, said Caleb seemed more cocky than confident. “He might not be (a bust). For me, it’s a personality thing. I love confidence, bro. But there’s a line between confidence and cockiness and you see the interviews. It’s like, I don’t get it… It’s a personality thing. They don’t care what you’ve done in college,” Tad remarked.

“You’ve done nothing for us.” Fair point. In the NFL, you have to prove it every week. Fast forward, let’s look back if Tad really hit the nail with this one.

Well, that’s the thing about Caleb and it has been pointed out by everyone at this point. Individually, he has had a decent season. So much so that it’s literally comparable with Dak’s winning rookie season. However, it doesn’t matter. Does it? To win the Super Bowl, you need a team of winners. And the cohesion. Well, the latter was lacking even before the season started.

Remember the video that circulated back in March? On his first field day with the Bears, Caleb seemed to be ignoring Keenan Allen. Yeah, the guy who was supposed to be his WR weapon. Yikes! 

Attitude has certainly been an issue since day 1. Another instance?

Former Titan Taylor Lewan even called him out for giving off “bad vibes” at the NFL Combine. Skipping throws and medicals didn’t help his case. As Lewan put it, “He essentially came to the combine for free gear.”

Maybe it’s just the rookie swagger, and the success of college because certainly enough, Caleb’s talent isn’t in question. But if he’s going to say, “I’ve played around 30 some games, I believe, go ahead and watch a live game of me and see how I am as a competitor,” that’s basically saying, hey, I am better than everyone. But if saying that, he’s just catching all the eyes on him. And that translation, for the most part of the season, wasn’t seen on the gridiron. Yes, the Bears themselves had the revolving OC situation, and then Matt Eberflus was fired. We get that. However, he needs to learn to walk the talk.

Meanwhile, on the topic of ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’, there’s a ‘WHAT IF’ that’s going around… Imagine Jayden Daniels under center in Chicago. Hmm, interesting.

Chicago could have very well picked Jayden Daniels over Caleb Williams

Back in April, on the same podcast appearance, Tad Prescott didn’t hold back his thoughts on Caleb Williams versus Jayden Daniels. He put it bluntly: “Yeah, I think you keep him, draft whichever one of them that GM felt more comfortable with, which to me would have been Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner. A guy that went into LSU and produced in the SEC. That’s another thing for me; I think DBs and SECs are faster.”

Tad wasn’t just speculating; he was pointing to a player who had already proven he could thrive against top competition.

Fast forward to now, and the “what if” around Daniels feels louder than ever. Caleb’s rookie season didn’t exactly wow anyone. Sure, he flashed potential, but when you compare that to Daniels’ impact in Washington? It’s night and day. I mean, he has transformed the Commanders into Cinderella Commanders with fairytale stuff… A playoff win as a rookie? That’s no small feat. Now, he’s going to play in the NFC Championship round against the Eagles. Phew! Gotta give him his flowers.

Through the 2024 season, Daniels completed 69% of his passes to Caleb’s 62.5%. He threw for more yards (3,568 vs. 3,541) and tossed more touchdowns (25 vs. 20). The kicker? He did it with fewer weapons. Respect to Terry McLaurin. But Washington’s roster isn’t exactly stacked. Caleb had better tools and still came up short.

JD brought life back to a franchise drowning in mediocrity. Playoff wins, zero-turnover games, and the calm of a seasoned vet? That’s rare, especially for a rookie. His clutch factor—leading late-game scoring drives—is the stuff of legends.

It’s hard not to imagine what could have been if Chicago had chosen Daniels instead. Heisman winner. SEC-tested. A proven leader. How did the Bears not see it? Maybe they just jumped the ship too soon.

Of course, Caleb’s story isn’t over. Rookie seasons don’t define careers, and he’s got plenty of time to prove the doubters wrong. But as fans in DC celebrate Daniels, Chicago might be wondering: Did we miss out on the next big thing?

Hindsight’s always 20/20, but man, imagine Daniels in the Windy City. Feels like the one that got away.