💥 BREAKING NEWS: The debate around Caleb Williams didn’t end loudly — it just disappeared ⚡.DH

Chicago Bears fans have lived this story before.

A highly drafted quarterback arrives carrying hope, hype, and a city’s expectations — only for doubt to creep in the moment another young passer shines elsewhere.

For months, that familiar anxiety hovered around Caleb Williams, especially as Jayden Daniels’ rookie season in Washington ignited league-wide praise.

The question echoed loudly: Did the Bears take the wrong guy at No. 1 overall?

According to former NFL head coach Herm Edwards, that question has already answered itself — not with applause, but with silence.

Appearing on Chicago’s 670 The Score, Edwards pointed out something subtle but telling. The chatter that once dominated Chicago sports radio and social media has faded. The comparisons. The second-guessing. The panic.

“I think, hopefully, all the naysayers… have to be quiet right now,” Edwards said. “That noise got quieted.”

That quiet didn’t come from marketing or spin. It came from time.

Jayden Daniels was electric as a rookie, but availability matters in the NFL. Daniels appeared in just seven games in 2025, while Williams endured the grind of a full season — taking hits, adjusting protections, learning to win late, and staying upright.

Durability, Edwards suggested, is part of the evaluation that often gets overlooked in highlight-driven debates.

Williams didn’t just survive. He produced.

In 2025, he set the Bears’ single-season passing record — a mark that stood untouched for three decades. He led Chicago to its first NFC North title since 2018 and its first playoff win since 2010. Not theoretical upside. Actual milestones.

And perhaps most importantly, he did it while adapting.

The arrival of head coach Ben Johnson reshaped Chicago’s offense, simplifying reads, emphasizing structure, and putting Williams under center. According to Edwards, Williams didn’t resist the shift. He embraced it.

“Ben Johnson came in and established an offense,” Edwards said. “Put him under center, said, ‘This is what you’re going to do.’ He took heed to that.”

That matters.

Young quarterbacks don’t fail solely because of talent. They fail because systems break them, confidence erodes, or chaos overwhelms development. Williams showed something quieter — coachability. Patience. Growth without drama.

Edwards’ perspective carries weight not just because of his résumé, but because of his history. He coached against Williams years ago and recognized his ability long before draft boards crowned him.

“This dude… really is good,” Edwards recalled.

What’s striking is how unceremoniously the narrative shifted. There was no viral apology tour. No dramatic turning point. Just steady performance, week after week, until the criticism ran out of oxygen.

For Bears fans, that may be the most unfamiliar feeling of all.

Edwards put it plainly: “You can go to bed every night in the offseason and say, ‘We got a quarterback for the next decade.’”

That’s not a prediction rooted in hype. It’s a statement grounded in evidence — production, health, adaptability, and leadership.

The NFL rarely announces when debates end. They simply fade when reality takes over.

And right now, the loudest thing about Caleb Williams might be what no one is saying anymore.