Tyson Bagent has strong words on Bears’ Caleb Williams decision

Caleb Williams continues to receive praise after a strong 2025 season, his backup, Tyson Bagent, has also given him his flowers. The starting quarterback led the Chicago Bears to an NFC crown and reached the Divisional Round.

He completed 330-of-568 passes for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Williams added 77 rushing attempts for 388 yards and three scores. He showcased his cool demeanor under pressure all season long and turned many doubters into believers. Bagent, on the other hand, only saw limited playing time, appearing in three games. He mostly just finished games when they had already secured results.

Chicago Bears QB Tyson Bagent earned a contract extension — Tyson Bagent will get a crucial opportunity during the preseason.

Chicago Bears: Tyson Bagent will start over Caleb Williams vs. the Browns

Bears head coach Ben Johnson and his staff decided that Bagent will start on Saturday against the Cleveland Browns. It’s the team’s first preseason game, allowing the Shepherd product to put in extra reps and show off his skill set. Bagent expressed excitement and looks forward to his first career NFL start.

“The opportunity is everything,” Bagent said. “Every rep that I can get out there is an absolute dream come true to me. So I’m extremely excited and I’m looking forward to putting out good tape out there and doing whatever we need to do to be successful.”

“Every rep that I can get out there is an absolute dream come true to me.”

Tyson Bagent on starting in the preseason: pic.twitter.com/tKlUjiYkVP

— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) August 13, 2026

The 26-year-old entered the league in 2023. Despite a strong run with the Rams during his collegiate career, he went undrafted but Chicago signed him. Bagent climbed the depth chart and made the 53-man roster. He has since played an important role for the Bears, particularly in practices, helping the offense prepare for upcoming games.

The matchup for Saturday kicks off at 1 p.m. ET at Soldier Field. Chicago’s next preseason game is scheduled on Aug. 22 versus the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. It remains unclear who will be the QB1 for that fixture.