A whole lot has changed since Drake Maye and Caleb Williams heard their names called during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Williams, the highly touted USC product and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, went first overall to the Chicago Bears. Maye followed a few picks later, with the New England Patriots banking on the North Carolina standout to become their next franchise quarterback.
Both waltzed into the league with heavy expectations. But both experienced their fair share of growing pains.
More than two years have passed, and the two quarterbacks are preparing to square off on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Soldier Field.
Taking into account where their respective franchises stood when they first landed, it's pretty remarkable that both are now leading teams with legitimate playoff aspirations.
Maye and Williams Overcame Rocky Rookie Seasons
The first difference between the two quarterbacks was evident before either took an NFL snap.
Williams was handed Chicago's starting job from the beginning. Maye, on the other hand, sat on the bench for the first five weeks of his rookie season backing up Jacoby Brissett.
Neither situation was really ideal.
Williams wound up throwing for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns, but Chicago stumbled to a 5-12 record. Maye showed flashes of brilliance with his arm and legs, despite New England finishing just 4-13.
Interestingly enough, Maye got the better of Williams in their first head-to-head matchup on Nov. 10, 2024. It was a solid 19-3 victory at Soldier Field, with Maye throwing for 184 yards and a touchdown. Williams could only muster 120 passing yards and hit the turf (sacked) nine times.
Although an ugly afternoon for the Bears, it ultimately didn’t matter much when determining either quarterback's future.
The real turning point came in 2025.
With Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels taking over in New England, Maye exploded for 4,394 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, earning second-team All-Pro honors while leading the Patriots to Super Bowl LX.
Williams enjoyed a breakthrough of his own under newly hired head coach Ben Johnson.
The former USC star tossed 27 touchdowns against just seven interceptions to set a Bears franchise record with 3,942 passing yards and guide Chicago to its first playoff victory since the 2010 season.
That's quite the turnaround for two quarterbacks whose rookie seasons didn’t show off the handsomest look.
Both QBs Have a Shot to Prove Themselves
The good news for both franchises is that their 2025 success appears to have been more than a one-year phenomenon.
New England and Chicago have identical 4-2 records as of now. Each quarterback has encountered some level of adversity in 2026, though.
Maye was a turnover machine early in the season before finding his rhythm over the past three games. He's thrown 10 touchdowns against just one interception during that stretch, helping the Patriots rattle off three consecutive victories.
Williams missed three games because of a hamstring injury before making an impressive return against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 18.
He completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown in a 31-23 victory.
Maye certainly hasn't overlooked his fellow 2024 draftee, either.
"He's special in the way he can move and kind of escape and evade pressure, and throwing on the run is pretty cool to watch," Maye said Tuesday.
"He can do some cool things, and he's got crazy arm talent, and it's fun to watch."
Vrabel echoed his quarterback on Tuesday, mentioning Williams' improving decision-making and ability to extend plays.
"His sack numbers are going down. He's taking care of the football, so it's a huge challenge," Vrabel said.
The fascinating part of Thursday's matchup is that there's no longer much debate about whether these quarterbacks belong in the NFL.
They've both answered the bell.
And after spending their initial NFL days trying to pull two faltering organizations back into contention, they're currently tasked with keeping them there.
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