Bears End 15-Year Playoff Drought With Wild Comeback Win

Caleb Williams dropped back, pump-faked, and fired a 25-yard touchdown strike to DJ Moore with 1:43 remaining, sending Chicago into a frenzy and ending one of the NFL's longest playoff droughts. The rookie quarterback's clutch throw capped an improbable 18-point comeback against Green Bay, delivering the Bears their first playoff win since 2010.

Chicago trailed 21-3 at halftime in Saturday night's wild-card thriller. The deficit felt insurmountable, but Williams and his teammates refused to fold.

"True belief," Williams said after the game. "That's all you need. Belief in the coaches to call the right play at the right time. Belief in the guys on the field to make the right play."

The Bears exploded in the fourth quarter, outscoring Green Bay 25-6 in the final 15 minutes. Williams threw for 361 yards despite a shaky start that included two interceptions, finding his rhythm when it mattered most.

The comeback began with running back D'Andre Swift's touchdown to cut the lead to 21-16. After Green Bay answered with a touchdown, Williams led two scoring drives in the final minutes, connecting with Olamide Zaccheaus for one score and Moore for the game-winner.

Rookie tight end Colston Loveland emerged as Williams' safety valve, hauling in eight catches for a career-high 137 yards. The first-year quarterback found different weapons throughout the night, spreading the ball to keep Green Bay's defense guessing.

Green Bay nearly answered after Williams' go-ahead score. Quarterback Jordan Love drove into Chicago territory, but fumbled the snap on third down at the Bears' 28-yard line with seconds remaining. His desperation heave into the end zone fell incomplete as time expired.

Why This Inspires

Williams channeled his early-game frustration into fuel for the comeback. "Play with the frustration, play with the anger, and use that for our advantage," he explained. That mindset reflects first-year head coach Ben Johnson's culture of resilience, which produced seven fourth-quarter comebacks in the regular season.

The victory means everything to a fanbase that watched their team miss the playoffs or lose in the first round for 15 consecutive years. Chicago now hosts a divisional-round game next weekend, extending a season that began with modest expectations.

"We just keep plugging along," Johnson said. "We keep fighting. That's who we are."

Williams stood in the postgame celebration and surveyed the scene. "We're here, and I plan to be here for a while," the rookie said. Chicago believes him.