Caleb Williams hadn’t played since hurting his hamstring against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2, and Tom Brady was in the FOX booth for his return.
Brady called the Chicago Bears’ 31-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, praised the quarterback throughout the broadcast, and then named him the “LFG Player of the Game” after a 30-of-36, 305-yard afternoon.
Bears fans took notice of Brady’s admiration for Chicago’s quarterback, especially after Williams also admitted he seems to perform well when the legendary quarterback is watching him play.
Tom Brady’s Praise for Caleb Williams Never Stopped After Bears-Falcons
After Williams missed three straight games, the Bears went 2-1 with Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent starting, and that stretch ended in a 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 5.
In Atlanta, Williams completed his first 12 passes, which is the longest streak to start a game in his career. He capped the opening drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colston Loveland.
He finished with that one touchdown pass and no interceptions as Chicago moved to 4-2, second in the NFC North.
Brady was taken with him from the first quarter. Luther Burden III, who finished with eight catches for 95 yards, broke free for a 25-yard catch, and Brady said, “You stop quickly, and then with that accurate throw, that ball is gyrating coming out of Caleb’s hands.”
He added that there was some smoke on the football when Williams let it go. Brady’s description was so unique that even his play-by-play partner, Kevin Burkhardt, admitted he had never heard the term used to describe a pass.
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Through Week 6, Williams’ 72.5% completion rate ranks first among 34 qualified quarterbacks and sixth in PFN’s QB Impact Score with an 83.1 grade. During the broadcast, Brady went further, saying he believed it was the best game Williams had played as a pro.
During the “LFG Player of the Game” interview, Brady opened with, “Man, you were locked in from the very start,” and said he had seen that focus in pregame warmups.
Williams told Brady that sitting out had been frustrating and spread the credit around to his playmakers, but one reply stood out: “I always seem to perform when you’re here, man.”
It isn’t the first time Brady has handed Williams the honor. Williams also won it in Week 3 of the 2025 season, after throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns in a 31-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys. He won it again after leading a 22-16 overtime win over the Packers on December 20, 2025.
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Bears Fans Embrace Brady’s Admiration for Caleb Williams
Sports Mockery’s Erik Lambert, who has covered the Bears for more than 15 years, had one request: “Can Tom do all of our games?”
Williams will have to wait at least a few weeks for another chance to play in front of Brady. Chicago’s next three games are on Prime Video, ESPN, and NBC before its Week 10 bye, meaning Brady will not be on the call for any of them.
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Others wrote plainly how Brady’s continued admiration for Williams has always stood out, with one fan writing, “Tom Brady don’t like a lot of QBs but he got like 3 favs; Caleb one of em.”
Another fan put it more simply: “The GOAT loves our QB.”
Another fan admitted they were impressed by Brady’s stint as a broadcaster, even though they weren’t as much during the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s playing days. The fan wrote, “It’s crazy how much I hated Tom as a player but love him as a commentator.”
One fan used Brady’s endorsement to answer Williams’ critics: “It’s hilarious how trolls and haters are the only ones that hate Caleb, but a real NFL goat always shows respect to Caleb.”
Brady signed off by telling Williams to rest up, with the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s former team, the Patriots, coming to Soldier Field on Thursday night.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.