Caleb Williams Struggles in NFL Debut, Former Coach Offers Advice

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has struggled in his first two NFL games, leading to advice from his former college coach, Lincoln Riley, on how to improve.

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has had an underwhelming start to his NFL career. In his NFL debut, Williams recorded just 93 passing yards and was sacked three times. In Week 2, he threw two interceptions and was sacked seven times by the Houston Texans.

Williams' struggles have raised concerns about his ability to live up to the immense hype he received upon arriving in Chicago. However, his former college coach, Lincoln Riley, believes Williams can turn things around.

Caleb Williams Struggles in NFL Debut, Former Coach Offers Advice

Riley, who coached Williams to a Heisman Trophy at USC in 2022, appeared on "The Herd" on Wednesday and provided advice for his former star quarterback.

"I think you got to go back to the basics," Riley said. "I think a lot of times that the answers that you're looking for as a player are right there, and sometimes when you get into competitive situations, especially a new league, a new offense, new coaches around you, new supporting cast, there's going to be some growing pains."

Riley emphasized the importance of Williams continuing to work hard, improve his fundamentals, and maintain a positive attitude.

"You're going to go through some tough moments, but you got to continue to go back to the basics, continue to improve, continue to lead and then, most importantly, you can't let it affect your attitude, your mentality, the way you play, the way you practice," Riley said. "You just got to just keep growing, and Caleb will. He's a fighter."

Through his first two NFL games, Williams has completed 56.1% of his passes for 267 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. He has also been sacked nine times, the most in the NFL this season.

Williams is coming off a highly successful college career, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and posting a career-best 170.1 passer rating in 2023. However, he has struggled to adjust to the NFL game.

Williams and the Bears will face the 0-2 Indianapolis Colts on the road on Sunday. It will be a tough test for Williams, who will be looking to bounce back from his poor performance against the Texans.

Riley believes Williams will eventually succeed in the NFL. "He's going to continue to learn and grow, and as painful as some of these tough moments have been early in the season, those are all opportunities to learn and grow, and if he's going to become the player that we all know he can be in that league, he's going to have to learn and progress from them, and I believe he will."