LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sat with an orange towel over his head and a stunned stare downward into the navy blue carpeting of the home locker room late Sunday night at Soldier Field.
After he had produced another magical, improbable moment in his team's breakthrough campaign, the season ended in gut-wrenching fashion. The Bears lost 20-17 to the Rams in overtime in the divisional round, coming up a win short of reaching their first NFC Championship Game in 15 years.
Williams and the Bears struggled to process how they came up short this time. The fans in Soldier Field who believed all the way through were left to sit in silence and dejection as the Rams celebrated on the snow-covered field.
“It’s a frustration,” Williams said of his emotions. “It’s a fire.
“I can’t go back and change it.”
Chicago's storybook season ended in disbelief after nearly 72 minutes of back-and-forth action between the Bears and the Rams, who were each vying for a trip to Seattle to face the top-seeded Seahawks. At a pivotal juncture late in the game, it sure had seemed as if Chicago would once again celebrate another unbelievable comeback victory.
It was Williams' heroics that sent the game to overtime. On fourth-and-4 from the Rams’ 14-yard line with 27 seconds left as the Bears trailed 17-10, Williams took the snap, backpedaled all the way to the 40-yard line amid heavy pressure and uncorked a throw that traveled 51.2 yards in the air. Tight end Cole Kmet hauled in the perfectly placed ball near the back corner of the end zone.
After a successful extra point from kicker Cairo Santos, the Bears had tied the game 17-17. Soldier Field shook once again, though fans weren’t necessarily surprised after all they'd seen from Williams this season.
“Ridiculous, that’s ridiculous,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said of Williams' touchdown pass.
The Bears' magic ended there. With less than seven minutes left in overtime and the Bears at the Rams' 48-yard line, Williams was intercepted on a deep pass intended for receiver DJ Moore. Afterward, Williams explained there was miscommunication with Moore, who seemed to slow down on his route and never made it to the spot Williams fired the pass.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford then led his offense 54 yards to the Bears’ 24-yard line, setting up rookie kicker Harrison Mevis for the game-winning 42-yard field goal through the north uprights.
With that, the Bears' memorable season ended suddenly. The Bears overcame an 0-2 start to win the NFC North crown, authored a series of fourth-quarter comeback wins and knocked off the rival Packers in a wild-card round game that will be forever remembered in Chicago.
On Sunday, there were many missed opportunities for the Bears, including three failed fourth-down attempts in Rams territory. Williams’ interception in overtime was his third of the day amid cold, windy, challenging conditions. And the Bears squandered a gutsy defensive performance against the Rams’ league-best offense.
Through it all, the Bears still almost earned another incredible victory.
“They all believed, man,” Johnson said. “They all believed all year long that we could find a way to win each and every week. So, it’s disappointing like that. But I am proud of the group. It’s a special group. I believe that to my core.”
This may well be just the start for these Bears, who went 11-6 in the regular season in Johnson's first season in Chicago. He led a turnaround that was difficult to imagine in Chicago, and the Bears believe they've set a foundation to have sustained success.
But Johnson also pointed to the harsh reality of the NFL. He reminded the Bears that success isn't guaranteed next year, and momentum between seasons is more of a myth than a reality.
The Bears hope to come back a better, stronger football team in 2026, but Johnson and his players didn't have that top of mind late Sunday night. They believed they could win a championship this season, and this ending stung.
After removing the orange towel from his forehead, Williams prepared himself to leave Soldier Field holding his head high, but he also knew well that the pain of this loss will linger well beyond the empty night.
“The best moment is being in that locker room after games and after wins,” Williams said. “Being with the guys that you all have a common goal, you all sacrifice family times and all that you sacrifice to be in this position, to be in those moments. So, it’s tough. In these moments, you feel that you let your team down, you feel this or that.
“Figure out how I can be better for the near future and help this organization get to where we want to be.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.