Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Is Caleb Williams the best quarterback the Bears have ever had? (Hour 1)

Episode Date: January 28, 2026

Marshall Harris and Mark Grote opened up their show by discussing Bears quarterback Caleb Williams' progress in his second NFL season and also by asking a question. Is Williams already the best quarterback the Bears have ever had? If he isn't, who is?

The views and opinions of Laila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, and Mark Grody should not be taken too seriously. Especially when they give advice. Do not take Marshall's analogies, literally. Especially when it comes to Russell Dorsey. The sports thoughts of Rahimi Harrison Grody may change at any time. It's just sports. Okay, thanks. Bye.

Rahimi Harrison Grody. 10 to 2 on 670. The quote in the Nate Taylor article that we have on tape from Matt Nagy about his time with the Bears and how this is going for him in that coaching cycle. everything that I went through in Chicago was a, it, uh, it, uh, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, you know, so be ready for it. So, you're so you don't have a quarterback position. So you're not coaching the centerpiece of your team and arguably the NFL. And everything that happened to you here, you know, everything that I went through, uh, in Chicago was a, it, uh, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, he went through here. Nothing, he didn't do anything wrong. More arrogance.

By man nagging. Everything just happened to him as a head coach. Is that what I am to understand? No one's fault other than everybody's. What in the hell are we doing here? We cannot go jumping to conclusions that I am to play. In a position where you need to have even more accountability because in theory you're far enough away from the situation

to do some true not only reflection, but some introspection. That seems to be lacking here? Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh, I don't know. I sing in the shower. Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering.

Occasionally I'll hit somebody with my car. So sue me. No, don't sue me. That's the opposite of the point that I'm trying to make. I think part of the problem is Matt Nagy does view himself as coach of the year. That year shouldn't be the focus because that's not the peak. Or at least it shouldn't be. And if that is the peak, that means everything since then has been downhill.

I did not go to business school. Know who else didn't go to business school? LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant. They went right from high school to the NBA. So it's not the same thing at all. Lela Rahimi, Marshall Harris, Mark Grody, Midday's 10 a.m. to 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 670, The Score. Hey, what's happening? It is Rahimi Harris and Grody here on the score.

Michael Scottness. never gets old sometimes I volunteer too much you know what it's not ever not appropriate you can find something usually from Michael Scott to throw on whatever you're going through in a particular

moment in time it's just beautiful he's a beautiful man and I've just I watched that way like I as I have made pretty clear to people I have been in the midst I guess of watching that show I think I started like three years ago and I'll just watch it over and over and over as many times as I possibly can every day

if Comedy Central happens to be carrying it. And I know I could seek it out if I wanted to. I hate it. It's so unorganized. It's so you're missing key moments that they build on for later. Non-linear. It's non-linear in a very linear production. Right.

And one in which I could seek out and easily attain the linear just by watching it on Peacock if I wanted to because it's all right there. It's all right there. But I let, I like, it's like listening to the radio. I will let them present to me what they think should be presented on a given day or in a given moment. I don't know how they figure all that stuff out, the rhythms of the episodes. Well, they just kind of go through the season and they start over. You know exactly how they figure it out. But yeah, it just, it feels good to hear Michael Scott. We're going to get to this because I have a feeling people would be very interested. If you didn't hear the question that we'll be asking, the thesis statement. I would even say from Marshall Harris, and that is, is Caleb Williams the greatest Chicago Bears quarterback ever? Not a question for me. You asked a question. I have a statement. Oh, wow. I am looking forward to you digging into this deeper. We will. We will do that. And we would definitely encourage you to be a part of it throughout this hour that we're going to talk about Caleb Williams and the Bears 312, 644, 67, 67 is the number.

Before we get started, I just want to say, I want to give a shout out to this radio station. And I just want to say what a great job everybody did yesterday on the score on, of course, the Tom Shere, Matt Rodewald roast. No, no, no, no, wasn't that. The tribute to Terry Boers yesterday was just fantastic. And I knew Matt Spiegel would do a great job doing it. because of the directions in which he is gone in his career, which seemed to connect to just about everybody, obviously everybody that was on yesterday.

So he did a superb job of hosting. Obviously, Chris Tannahill was probably, you know, doing a whole heck of a lot of work with that as well. So great job by those guys, Russ Matera and O'Connor O'Donnell, Max Curtis, Mitch Roe. Ryan Porth. I just loved listening to everything. And I'm like I'm more of when it comes to Terry Boers, I was a listener to Terry through the years. I didn't know Terry well at all. It's just weird the way our paths never like physically met up here at the score. Like I barely worked with Terry,

but I listened to Terry a lot and I just thought it was a stellar performance yesterday by all parts involved here at the score. So shout out to everybody, including you, Mark, And Layla, I listened to you guys in the tribute that you guys paid and taking all of the calls. It's the one good thing to come out of things like this, and that is to go down memory lane and give everybody a smile and hear voices you hadn't heard for a long time and didn't realize how much you missed those voices. And the score does those sorts of things. Anniversaries, unfortunately, deaths and memorials. We do those things very well here at the score, and it was just a great job by everybody involved. No, it definitely starts with leadership when you talk about Mitch and Ryan and those guys

and then the willingness for people who aren't even on these airwaves anymore, willing to come in and talk about someone who is so important to them, friend, mentor, coworker, and hearing some of those tributes, and I thought my old partner, Dan Bernstein, put it pretty well when he said, you know, when he thinks about it and you want to be sad, you think about it for a minute and then you end up laughing. Right. Because the good times are what you want to take with you. And when we talk about, you know, when someone that I know has lost someone close to them.

Yeah. Something that was said to me many, many, many years ago is something that I will say sincerely. And that is, may their memory be a blessing. And I think for all the people who did or did not know Terry Boers but knew of him and were affected by him as even just an audience member as he was putting on a show. His memory is a blessing to them because of what does he vote when you think of the impact that Terry Boers had on the media landscape, on a personal level with so many people, and I thought that really shined through yesterday on our show and during that memorial as well.

Yeah, yeah, it was great. And shout out to Chris Ranji, too. I caught some of his act as well. And he was terrific. And again, like, low-key, like a perfect guy to take the baton from Spiegel. Like, there's a lot of people who could have done that well and would have been qualified to do it. But the two right people did it. It was perfect because, like, Matt had a deeper relationship with Terry, no doubt about it, obviously.

But Chris had sort of the quintessential relationship with him with the young, the producers had with him, that the update people had with him, that they all looked up to him. and what really resonated with me from all the things I heard. Everybody wanted to make Terry happy. Everybody wanted to make Terry laugh because of the audience and the critic that we knew he was. So that's all I wanted to say about it. Just a shout out to the Boers family and all of that. It was a really well-done production on the score. And quite frankly, really what it gets down to, Marshall,

it was really good radio. It was really, really good radio because of how, real it was, and that's the essence of what we do, and it's the essence of the score. Super authentic and necessary from a therapeutic standpoint, from a closure standpoint, although you're always going to take those memories with you, whether you were someone, as I said, close to him or just knew him from listening to him. The other thing that we do really well here at the score on Rahimi Harrison Grotie is to talk about the Chicago Bears.

We do seem to do a lot of that. And it's been mostly favorable talk for the last year or so, really. Yeah, yeah, which is very uplifting. But let's get into this, man, because the Caleb Williams conversation is never-ending. It should never be never-ending, even if he gets to a point where he is winning Super Bowls. Caleb is always going to be worth discussing, is what I'm saying here, no matter what. He's the quarterback of the Chicago Bears. and the person who is the quarterback of the Chicago Bears is always going to be talked about,

whether it's positive, whether it's negative, when things are going good, when things are going to bad, he will be a focal point. You're the quarterback of the Chicago Bears. What I wanted to know at the start of the season is the same question I've been asking for the last five years. Do the Bears have a franchise quarterback? I got that answer. I previously stated the Bears have their franchise quarterback. he should be here for a good decade, partnered up with Ben Johnson to do big things for the Bears.

And what I came away with after the way the back half of the season went and understanding just how much he had developed in year one under Ben Johnson. And also understanding the history of quarterbacks for the Chicago Bears, the Bears finally have a guy who not only can lead them to make them a great offensive unit, but they also have the best quarterback they've ever. ever had. And when I said it in my head, I was like, this needs to be brought to people's attention. Caleb Williams is the best quarterback this franchise has ever had.

And it says two things. One, it says that Caleb Williams is starting to live up to his draft position of 1-1 from two years ago. The other thing it says is the bar is kind of low when you look at the history of quarterbacks for the bears. I know the first two words people are going to bring up when I say. say this are Luckman and Sid and not in that order. And I get it. Sid Lugman was that dude. They didn't give out MVP's back when he played in the 1940s, but he is a four-time NFL champion.

He predates the Super Bowl era. He is a six-time all-pro. He led the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and passer rating three times. He is the most accomplished quarterback in Bears history, no doubt. He was also running the freaking T formation, which has gone the way of the Model T. So let's be honest about what Sid Legman was and when he did it, and the fact that he did it pre-integration. That's fair.

And there are only 13 teams max when he was winning championships. It is a different landscape now, and I present to you Caleb Williams, and before, I'm going to be like, remember Eminem in 8 Mile, final battle, and he just talks badly about himself before, you know, I hand you the mic and you could say something bad about Caleb. I know his completion percentage isn't where he wants, where you want it to be. But I would argue as a guy who had more drop passes than everybody else, that's not all on him.

I would also argue I'm good with him dirty balls as opposed to throwing bad balls that end up getting picked off. because his completion percentage is put next to his interception percentage okay with me, because you're not throwing the ball to the other team. I would also say, unlike his contemporaries, Super Bowl-era quarterbacks, this is a guy who didn't have a super strong defense to rely on. When you look at the defensive ranks of his team, total yards and points allowed, compared to teams in the past that went to the playoffs, it's like night and day.

And I know that defense did create some takeaways, but at the same time, the reason they led the league in turnover margin, is because he was not giving it away. So Caleb Williams, for me, he's already there. I think that there are, putting on my glasses, there are two realistic challengers for the title of greatest Chicago Bears

quarterback in Chicago Bears history. And by the way, I'm a little freaked out just that we're doing this and that you're proclaiming this and we're going there just because of here we are. Caleb Williams puts on a show in the final six, seven games of the season. And now we have gotten to not only the level of we have a quarterback. And I agree, the Bears have a quarterback. You've got, this is you, got the quarterback for the next 10 years, have the greatest Bears quarterback in history.

It's all happening really fast. You're putting that ring on very quickly. So I am just expressing a little bit of angst, a little bit of discomfort with your decision to cohabitate already. Like it's just you're two weeks into the relationship. And you're already moving in. Now you're on one knee at the Bulls game. And I had this happen the other day, by the way. I was the person sitting around the person that proposed at the Bulls Lakers game.

It was right next to you? Right in front of me. Right in front of me. They were a beautiful couple. and I kind of noticed that about them. I'm like, this is a cool looking couple in front of us. And next thing, I know the guy's on one knee. Did she hesitate?

She didn't, but she laughed at first, the big laugh, and then smiled and cried and did all the stuff. And then the camera guy came over, so it was on the Jumbotron. So it was beautiful. But that's the analogy that's like circulating through my head. It's like you're skipping steps. And it's great. Everything is wonderful. Tell me what I'm skipping.

Caleb has been great. But I think you're skipping really, like, if the question is, if this is, if this statement is Caleb Williams is the greatest quarterback the Chicago Bears have ever had. Aren't we skipping steps if we're not giving that a real run for two quarterbacks? Jay Cutler and Jim McMahon. And then there's others in between too. A little bit too one-hit wonderish, like when we start to talk about the Air Kramer's of the world, and he did have a spectacular season.

I mean, Caleb Williams broke his single season passing record this year. Didn't get to that magical 4,000-yard mark, but he was able to break that. So maybe I'll leave Eric Kramer out. But I do think you have to give some consideration to those two quarterbacks for obvious reasons when it comes to Jim McMahon. The man won a Super Bowl. He was 46, 15 and 0 as a Bears starter. His issue was, six and four in the playoffs, too, which probably could have been better in all honesty. The issue with Jim McMahon was, and this is a deficit to him and an applause for Caleb, is durability.

Jim McMahon never once played a full, what was then, a 16-game season. Never. Even in the Super Bowl season, he played in 14 games. So the durability factor does hurt Jim McMahon, but the winning portion of it and the talent of the player, easy to overlook that with Jim McMahon because the defense was elite, and he did have Walter Payton. on his side in his prime for at least a couple of the years that Jim McMahon was there. So let me ask you this serious question. Yeah, yeah.

On offense, how many future Hall of Famers does Caleb Williams have at the skill position? How many future Hall of Famers does Caleb Williams have right now? Like Bar-None Hall of Famers? Zero. How many MVP's is he playing alongside? How many, is he, wait, what? How many MVP's is Caleb Williams playing alongside? Zero.

Okay. Jim McMahon. Can I ask that same question about him? Absolutely. Like Hall of Famers on offense? Okay, well, I guess... Skill position. Just a very quick question to answer. I was going to skill position would be Walter. Yeah. That would be it, though. Yeah. Last I checked, ain't nobody going to the Hall of Fame out of the running back

position for Caleb Williams. That's true. So you're saying that Jim had it easy because he had Walter Payton. In that gear you're talking about, you mentioned elite defense. I just want to be very clear about that. the number one defense in both points and total yardage. He wasn't being asked to do the things that Caleb had to do. How many comebacks did he have in the fourth quarter? How do we grade that?

Because football was different then. Running the football was more important. You could make an argument then, at least what was valued, was more important. That's the thing that gets twisted sometimes with Jim McMahon specifically. People who watched those, I watched every game Jim McMahon played in with the Bears, when he had to make throws, when he was allowed to throw the ball. ball, he was very good, and he made big plays. And look, if you want to reduce him to

quarterback manager, that's fine because that was more of what it was during that time. But he threw, and he was good, and he can make big time plays, too. I can't wait to continue this conversation. Man, we just get started. I have more. All right. Marshall's got more. And you know what? The phone lines are open. 312, 644, 67, 67. Is Caleb Williams the best quarterback in Bears' history? Marshall says yes, I'm just pushing back. I don't know what conclusion I'll make by the end of the hour.

And the reason I said best and not greatest is something you used to describe it is because greatest, I think, connotates something different than best. Best just means I turn on the tape, watch this guy play, watch these other guys play. You're going to believe your lying eyes or not? Right, right. And I don't want to go back to Sid Luckman. You made good points by him. I watched the video, both in the black and white and when it got to color.

Those were also 11 game seasons. You know what I mean? Yeah. It keeps advancing. And there's a lot of parameters I think we have to keep in mind and try to do a better job of defining. But come on in. 312, 644, 67, 67 is the number. The text lines are open as well.

It's Rahimi, Harrison Grody on Chicago Sports Radio 670 to score. Laila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, Mark Grody, midday's 10 a.m. to 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 670, the score. Fourth down and four, 14 of the Rams. Shotgun snap. Four man rush. He's chased. He's flushed. He's all the way back to the 40.

He's backpedaling and throws a pass into the end. So caught. Touchdown. Touchdown. Chicago has caught a touchdown. With pull come in. Open in the corner. If you hadn't seen it, you would not believe it.

18 seconds left. Pandemonium at Soldier Field. That never goes out of style. thanks to a friend of the program, Kevin Harlan right there. It's Rahimi Harris and Grotie on Chicago Sports Radio 670. The score asking you, are you ready to proclaim to go along with the idea that Caleb Williams is the greatest Chicago Bears quarterback ever? Are we heading into a dangerous territory even asking that question? 312, 644, 67, 67 is the number.

we will definitely take some of your calls on that. If I may, Marshall, I would like to present the opposing opinion. The one, because I'm listening. That's what's going on with me. Of course you're listening. I'm listening and I'm pushing back and I'm challenging you on other quarterbacks that were not great, but would challenge Caleb Williams for greatest Chicago Bears quarterback ever. And right now, just to catch people up, I would say,

let's deep dive Jim McMahon, which we kind of did already before the break, and let's talk about Jay Cutler a little bit before we really jump to conclusions. Fair. It's fair to do that. You know, the reason why you are listening and you're open is because I've slowly over the course of less than a year, Mark, that we've been working together on this show, worked you out of your PTSD, bears related, on many different things. And I think quarterback is one of them. And I think that's the reason why you and other Caleb, I'm not there yet people, would be reticent, hesitant to just say, yeah, he's the guy. I get that. But Caleb, with the comebacks, with having to be the actual engine, with all these other teams you're talking about,

they had a defense and a running game, and it was like the quarterback hopefully doesn't screw it up. That's been kind of the method of operation for the Chicago Bears. Now we have a guy who's only in year two, who's only had one year with a new head coach. And he's had how many offensive coordinators in that time? How many guys have been calling plays since he became an NFL quarterback? Multiple. More than two. And I think the thing that what you need to see right now is when you turn on the freaking tape and you watch the number of throws that he's made and the armed talent that he has. And, you know, and, you watch the number of throws that he has. the use of said armed talent to win not just games, but big games and big spots, that's what

separates Caleb Williams. It's because he has to be the guy. These other guys that we're talking about didn't have to be the guy necessarily on the teams that they were on. Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, with Cutler, who was here 2009 to 2016, interestingly enough, the year before he came to the Bears, he had 4,526. yards. What did he never do with the Chicago Bears?

Throw for 4,000 yards. No, it's just funny, like as I went back and, you know, thinking as much as I think I know about Bears' history and Bears' quarterbacks, you always learn something, or at least your memory is resumulated as to things that are going on with these players that did go on with these players. Hey, Grot, you know what he immediately did when he became a Chicago Bear? Immediately? With loss to the Packers. Well, that too. Because guess what? Caleb already has more wins over the Packers than that guy.

That's a point in your favor, pal. Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky combined. I want to point that out. He's three and two. And on top of that, the first thing he did was said, I'm going to lead the league with 26 interceptions. And he said, in another season, I'll also lead the league with 18 interceptions. Counterpoint.

Caleb Williams has never come close to leading the league in interceptions. Counterpoint. Jay Cutler, guys. got the Bears to the title game in the year 2010. So, and had, and did, while he never did reach 4,000 yards, he had a couple of, I mean, like a 3,700 yard or 3,800. He was always good. Well, he wasn't, I can't say he was always good at the end.

And look, there were moments, so I'm not going to really do this serious deep dive on Jake Cutler. Well, maybe I should, maybe a little bit. And that is, look, Jake Cutler's problem with the bears never lived up to the expectation, never lived up to the hype, I suppose it was. He did not ultimately win enough, but his bugaboo on the field was thinking he could make every single throw. And he did have an extraordinary arm.

And there were throws that he made that others couldn't make. But too many times he was the guy that said, oh, there's three guys draping that dude. Watch this. And he got more times than not in key moments that felt like he got burned. Hey, Mark, thanks for making my point for me. Because Jay Culler thinks he can make every throw. Caleb Williams has shown you he can make every throw.

Well, that's for sure. Well, no, Jay Cutler couldn't make every throw. But I'm saying that he did in dangerous situations. And Caleb has done that too, where he's tried to throw into coverage. And you're like, whoa, whoa, whoa. And I know the quantity is not large of interceptions for Caleb Williams. But there have been times you're like, how did you think you were going to get that in there? I think it's all situational.

The context is important. And I think you're talking about big spots. And Caleb, when he throws an interception on a. fourth down that's basically a punt. I'm not really upset with that. Look at his last throw of the season. We don't even know definitively why it went wrong, but

I would argue Caleb should have thrown the check down. That's just my personal opinion. And he's not getting indicted for it, though. No, I've killed him for it. I said, I think that's more on Caleb than it is on DJ Moore. Really? And I think it's more on Ben Johnson than either one of those guys. Then you've been the voice that has not been

because, I mean, to me, it's like if you did like a poll, it's 85% DJ Moore. Let's put it this way. 85% not Caleb's fault. Nope. I didn't hear any outrage over Caleb. I think that's based on Caleb being the guy who put them in a position to even be. And it's justified.

Yes. Two things can be true. I think you're right. I think you're right in that case. Nah, I can make any throw. See? And he's been doing it all season long. The best thing that Tim Jenkins ever told us over a course of us having him on every Tuesday for a whole season, by the way,

was Tim Jenkins explaining when he goes. goes to look at like the highlight throws that he wants to he'll go through some guys and it'll be a whole season maybe like three throws he says Caleb Williams does that and it's a collection of throws multiples for each game of amazing throws that to me tells you what it is and what it ain't well and that is like if we're just separating from the argument or whatever this is that's happening right now he's just the best player to ever play the position for the Chicago Bears My opinion on Caleb, like, was throughout the season, you know there was some moments early in the season where I was like, I don't know. I'm not sure what's going on here with Caleb.

He's going to get it back. Then the last five or six games of the season, he changed my mind, like in terms of the throws that he was making. And to a point where I have, unfortunately, because it's not cool to be aligned with the bears, it's just not. I am aligned with the bear's opinions on Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson and Ryan Polls specifically, as in, oh, yeah, we got our quarterback. This guy does spectacular things, but there's a few more things, a few more levels that we have to go here before that guy is an autopilot. And I completely agree with you. And I just want to let everyone who's listening understand this. I'm just saying get on the train now.

Don't get on the train when it's overcrowded four or five stops down the way. You're not going to allow them on the crowded train, man. Is there room for them? It's a train. Be down on the L. Just be like one of the conductors that nice says, don't worry. There's another train right behind that you can get on. Listen, Mark, I'm counting down the days to where you're like, hey, Marshall, you're right.

He is the quarterback for the next 10 years. And that day is coming. Sooner than you want to admit. Hey, I got what I wanted out of this season. I know the Bears have a quarterback. Let's take some of these calls before I don't take the calls. 3-1-2-6-44-67. Bob's been waiting.

He's in Libertyville. What's going on? Bob, you're on Rahimi-Harrison Grody on the score. Hey, guys. Hey, Mark. Can we stop with the boomer and unc takes of the 85 bears in comparison to today's modern NFL offset offenses? Let me ask you this. How do you go about that when the quarterbacks were asked to do things differently back then?

For sure, if Jim McMahon was asked to throw the ball 30 times a game, 25 to 30 times a game, maybe he would have the numbers of some of the elite quarterbacks now. So while I appreciate the boomer attack, I get it. No, I really do. And I'm not a boomer, but I understand where the call. I really do. But it was different. So you also are not accounting for that.

Like you could boom me all you want, but you're not. Mark, you're not accounting for today's defenses play at a speed way faster than those 85 defenses play. They were based off of intimidation, lack of rules that allowed for late hits and intimidation. Today is based on scheme and speed. How about how protected the quarterbacks are today? You can't touch a quarterback. How about Jim McMahon? Jim McMahon getting demolished and hurt

guys having it out. Gilbert Brown, like, well, not Gilbert Brown, who's my guess? Well, how many picks did he throw in the 80s? Okay, with the lack of speed and scheme going on. So how would lack of intimidation and late hits help his stats

if he was playing against slower defenses where guys were having cigarettes at halftime? So you don't, but you obviously don't didn't watch Jim McMahon. You're assuming, assuming Jim McMahon couldn't keep up with the speed of players today. I guess that's what you're doing, although even though you haven't ever seen the guy play,

and I'm guessing you probably haven't even watched highlights. Is he gone? Okay. Honestly, like, it doesn't make me mad when people, like, because I get tired of it, having to reference the 80s bears. And it was a spectacular time, too, all the same. I'll never take that away from, like, my enjoyment of it.

But I hate to have to reference that. But if you don't put Jim McMahon in – and by the way, I haven't even said that Jim McMahon was better. I'm just saying that you have to put Jim McMahon and Jay Cutler into – it's just not as easy of a slam dunk for me to just say that Caleb is the greatest of all time. And you are – you're being ignorant, quite frankly, if you don't put – if you don't discuss Jim McMahon, even though that caller didn't want anything to do with it. No, no. I understand what you're doing because you're saying, as soon as I say Caleb Williams is the best to ever play the position for the Chicago Bears, the first thing you have to do is be like, well, if it's not Caleb, then who is it? Right.

That's the best you came up with. And it's a huge statement, too. And I get it. I don't think it's that big of a statement. Because the field isn't good, but it's still a huge statement. Like, just the fact that you can make it is huge. Like, it's a revelation that we're having this conversation about a present quarterback. So it is big.

It is something that takes processing. and it is something that requires Jim McMahon and quarterbacks from way back when in boomer time and the prehistoric times, unfortunately have to be part of the conversation. What up, Sid. No, I'm not. Notice, I've left Sid behind. Sid is gone now. You're with me. Yeah, yeah.

I mean, you have to mention him just to give the qualifications and to the process of elimination as well. I think the process of elimination is going to be over very quickly when we get back to these phone calls next. Well, we're going to do that. And, and, oh, there is somebody else who has a distinct opinion about... I'll address that as well. The other side, he happens to be my partner on the Take the North podcast. He's Dan Weeder. I brought this topic up to him at the end of the episode that we recorded yesterday. That's out right now, if you want to check it out, Take the North. He was way more scared of the topic than I might be coming across to our audience right now. I've coached you out of me. I don't spend enough time with you. Dan to coax him out of that PTSD. Well, and actually, I do believe Dan is filling in for Lawrence Holmes today. Oh, we're going to, oh, transition's going to be great.

Double weedsie is happening today. So we will get Weeders opinion. We'll get more of your phone calls in here at 312, 644, 67. It is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on the score. We got a boomer. Listen to Rahimi Harrison Grody on the Odyssey and IHart radio apps. I mean, we like Bill Wayne, right? even though we had the scuffle with him.

Little Wayne apologized. He showed accountability. Good. Good enough. For Heemie Harrison Grotie on the score. Caleb Williams, the greatest quarterback ever in Chicago Bears history. Yes, he's the best quarterback to ever do it. I don't know if I'd call him the greatest, but he's the best quarterback that Chicago Bears have ever had playing that position.

Let's get back to the phones here. It's Patrick in Logan Square. Hi, Patrick. You're on the score. Hey, good morning, guys. My comment is for Marshall, basically. What up? I'm not saying Jay Cutler is better than Caleb or anything like that, but you guys were talking

interceptions. And Jay had a tendency to throw interceptions from time to time. He did. But, you know, in two postseason games, when it's one and done and the pressure's on, Caleb threw five interceptions in those two games. That just, you know, causes me some pause. I guess basically. I mean, in those pressure-packed games like that,

not saying that he hasn't performed in the other games during the regular season, but five interceptions in two post-season games is quite a bit. No, I completely agree with you, and I think all interceptions are not created equally. You'd agree with that, right? As far as time and place and where you are on the field, and if it's fourth down,

an interception is not nearly as bad as, you know, other places in a drive? No, I agree with you. You know, there's tipped balls to consider. there's all kinds of different things that play into an interception. It's not just always, you know, a poor throw or a bad judgment. But Caleb does, I mean, Caleb's got the mentality that Jay Cutler had. I mean, Caleb thinks he can make any throw at any time, just like Cutler did.

And again, I'm not trying to say that Jay Cutler is as good as Caleb or that Caleb, you know, I think Caleb, the jury's still out for me. I think Caleb has done some amazing things, but I still think that, you know, He's got a lot to prove over the course of time, and I'm going to be one that sits back and really enjoys watching him play and to see how this all turns out. All that being said, who's the best quarterback in Bears history? Well, you know, I had season tickets for a really long time, and that was during, we got him during the Bears run to the Super Bowl. And I love Jim McMahon. He was certainly one that was a gunslinger out there like a lot of these guys are.

I thought he could make all the throws and was really just put it on the line all the time. And it is a different era. But I mean, up to this point in just the short period of time that we've seen, Caleb, you know, I have to say Caleb. I'm hesitant to do that. But Caleb's probably the best quarterback up to this point in his career that the Bears have. All right. Thanks, man. I understand the other points.

You know, Jim McMahon, different era, great quarterback, one of the gutsiest guys you'd ever want to see out there at the position. I mean, he took a beating out there and still came back for more all the time. I really appreciate the time, guys. But it was, it's good to talk to you. I listen to every day. Thank you. Every single day. I'm in the car all the time.

I'm in sales, and I listen to the score exclusively, and you guys are great. You are awesome, too, Patrick. We appreciate you listening. You see how Patrick said all that? He did. It was a really good call. You too. That whole conversation was very healthy.

I'm going to listen to what he has to say. But at the end of the day, I just wanted to make sure everybody understood. He knew I was right. And that's the point. Well, I'm helping to people who are uncomfortable. They're uncomfortable because of the PTSD of lackluster bears quarterback play over the last, you just name the number of years you want. And I'm helping them get comfortable with this idea because it's the truth.

It just feels the – and I think it's hitting other bear. fans the similar to the way it's hitting me. Absolutely. I can't sit here and shout you down and say, you're crazy for saying that. But it's also weird or maybe awkward is the word to say something with that sort of gusto, that sort of heat to say that he is the greatest Bears quarterback in history. I mean, you got to pause, you got to discuss it, you got to think about it,

and maybe you do like the college did, like Patrick did. he came to the conclusion that you got me it's Caleb it's Caleb I know someone who did not come to that conclusion let's listen to that right now as a matter of fact the person's voice who you will hear from momentarily is dan weederer of the athletic and of course famously of the take the north podcast he and I perform that podcast together there's an episode up right now if you want to hear the full episode but at the very end of the episode that you may or may not want to listen to we're here. I tease the topic that we are doing right now. Here, and this is going to satiate a segment of the listeners right now.

Here is Dan Wheater's reaction to that. Nope. No. And I would push back on this strongly. And my pushback would be, not yet. Don't do this again, Chicago. Don't start hanging the mission accomplished banners too early. You can't do it. And I am a little bit worried. I'm a little bit worried about this offseason for the psyche of a city. that just can't control itself sometimes. And I'm going to get a lot of pushback on this and a lot of blowback for saying this. But like this is what Ben Johnson is talking about.

This is what he's trying to get through to Caleb Williams when he talks about like there is no building off this. Like that's over. There was some really special things here. We can get very easily intoxicated by the highest of the highs and the flashes that Caleb showed. But my God, man, you got to have more than one playoff victory before we start talking about all time best, right? Like you've got to have the ability to look like I get it. He's the single season leader in passing yards, right? Like he broke that record this year.

It's a record that stood the test of time for too long. But man, like I just, oh, you brought that up and it was a pop quiz. I wasn't ready for this. And you're feeling the raw general reaction to me of being like, don't do this. Don't go there so fast Chicago. Just take your time. You can't handle the truth. Dan Weeder appalled on the Take the North podcast.

He said you hit him with the speed and he's Keanu Reeves trying to figure out what's going on. It's like, pop quiz. No, but listen, again, I want to go back to my first off statement. The most accomplished quarterback in Bears history is 1943 NFL MVP Sid Luckman. He is the most accomplished. But the best quarterback? Stop. If you as like, the Bears have to go win a game today.

Who do you want a quarterback? And he's going to have to, like, throw the ball and do things, not just hand off to, I don't know, Walter Payton. I think that I've made it very clear that I'll take Caleb Williams in the fourth. Like, he has, I'm sold on the fourth quarter. I'm sold on the game winning throws. You don't have to talk me into that part about Caleb Williams in any way, shape, or form. He's the best quarterback they've ever had, period, point blank.

That's, that's, that's, that's, and I understand why you have reservations. I understand why Dan has reservations. I'm so glad he's in today. Yeah. My goodness, transition is going to be. be continued. It's going to be great. Yeah, 2 p.m. is when Dan Weeder will come shuffling in with Speegs, and we can reenact this conversation. It's going to be a great time. But we're... Are you convinced? Are you convinced yet, Mark?

Am I convinced? I don't know if I'm convinced. I feel like you're on the fence. I'm on the... I'm not convinced with the idea of proclaiming something like that after two years of being a quarterback. Okay, you don't have to proclaim it. Just uncomfortable. What are you observing? I'm still trying to figure out just a little, and this is, and this is in. We're very late in the game here. But when you say best quarterback, do you just mean like most talent, like arm talent? Because you said you sort of- Jay-Color had a lot of art talent.

Because you did dismiss, and you said it, and I'm not coming at you for it, that you're not including the winning portion is not big in your quotient, obviously, when you say that he's the best quarterback of all time because we know who the winners were. And Jay Cutler, by the way, one of those. Jay Cutler was a winner when he was. you had two winning seasons out of how many? I'm saying if we're talking about all the big marbles getting to the NFC title game, Jay Cutler did do that for a team. I'm sorry? Jay Cutler had one NFC title game appearance in how many seasons and Caleb Williams has one playoff win in two seasons?

But doesn't that by definition say, yeah, you're right. He's right on the cusp of it, but he's not there yet if he hasn't gotten them. No, no, no, I'm saying it's a portion of it. It's a piece of the pie, but I don't think it's as big a piece of pie as you're making it. I'm just saying he's the best. He's better than Jay Color. And if you had a game, you had to win, you would take him over Jay Color. We are excited about our – Caleb Williams and our FM debut. This Monday on 104-3, the score.

That's right. All score shows, Cubs and Bulls games on FM, high fidelity all the time, including in downtown Chicago. The score will be heard on 670 a.m. But starting on Monday at 8 a.m. during the Molley and Haw Show, it is the debut. of 104-3 on FM. The simulcast is presented by the official sportsbook of the score. Circus Sports, sports betting the way it should be with no-bet fees. Let's talk more football, maybe more bears, maybe a little Bill Belichick,

with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. He joins Rahimi Harris and Grotie next on the score.