How Caleb Williams learned a ‘lost’ skill, and why it matters on Black Friday

When Caleb Williams arrived in Chicago, he brought all the talent you’d expect from a No. 1 draft pick – big throws, quick feet, and the ability to make something out of nothing. What he didn’t bring was experience doing something the NFL still takes seriously: taking snaps from under center.

It sounds simple. The quarterback walks up behind the center, puts his hands under him, takes the ball, and starts the play. But in college, many offenses don’t even use this technique anymore. They start many plays in shotgun, with the quarterback standing several yards behind the line. Williams was one of those players.

So this season, the Bears had to teach him a skill most old-school quarterbacks learned in high school. It meant adjusting his footwork, re-learning timing, and practicing the rhythm that goes into play-action plays – the ones where the quarterback pretends to hand the ball off before throwing.

And oddly enough, this “lost” skill could be a big deal on Black Friday.

Caleb Williams ready for Eagles test

The Eagles’ defense, coached by veteran coordinator Vic Fangio, is built to prevent big plays. They sit deep, keep everything in front of them, and make offenses work slowly down the field. That’s a tough matchup for Chicago, because the Bears have become one of the most explosive offenses in the league under new coach Ben Johnson.

Going under center is one of the ways the Bears try to break through those tight defenses. When Williams takes the snap directly behind the line, the fake handoffs look more believable, defenders hesitate, and Chicago can create the long passes and plays they rely on.

And Fangio has noticed. He even said this week that Williams never played under center in college – and praised the Bears for helping him look comfortable doing it now. Let’s see how it actually plays out...

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