Caleb Williams has become the first NFL starting quarterback in nearly 82 years with multiple receptions in a game. Williams had two catches for 22 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown, in the Chicago Bears’ wild 47-42 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The last starting QB with a two-catch game was George Taliaferro of the Baltimore Colts in 1953. Williams’ touchdown catch came on a play the Bears call “Hot Potato.” It’s their version of “Philly Special” play that the Eagles once used in the Super Bowl. Williams also caught a pass from backup QB Tyson Bagent.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Caleb Williams has shown his arm strength and scrambling ability throughout his college and NFL career.
The Chicago Bears quarterback revealed another one of his athletic gifts on Sunday, when he proved he can catch the ball, too.
Williams became the first starting QB in nearly 82 years with multiple receptions in a game. He had two catches for 22 yards — including a 2-yard TD in the first quarter — as the Bears rallied in the final minute for a 47-42 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
“He's got very good ball skills,” tight end Colston Loveland said.
According to Sportradar, Williams is the first starting quarterback with at least two receptions in a game since George Taliaferro of the Baltimore Colts on Dec. 5, 1953, at the Los Angeles Rams.
With the number of trick plays that first-year coach Ben Johnson has in his playbook, Williams figured there was a chance he'd record a two-catch game.
“Both of those plays were things we’ve been practicing. They actually looked really good in practice. The ‘Hot Potato’ ended up looking really good this week,” Williams said. “I felt really confident, and I know coach did too, about calling it in those moments.”
“Hot Potato” is Chicago's version of the “Philly Special” — the play the Eagles ran for a touchdown in Super Bowl 52 — and the Bears used it to tie the game at 7-all midway through the first quarter.
On fourth-and-goal at the Bengals 2, Williams took the snap and pitched it to wide receiver Rome Odunze on a reverse. Odunze then pitched it to DJ Moore, who found Williams uncovered in the right corner of the end zone.
Williams became third Chicago QB and first since Matt Barkley in 2017 to have a receiving score.
“It looks like you’re ‘hot potato-ing’ the ball around. It was something we’ve been practicing for the last two weeks, and it finally showed up on game day,” Williams said.
Johnson said he called the play because the Bengals were showing a favorable look.
“Well, in man coverage there’s not a defender assigned to the quarterback, and so that can be a good play if you get the right coverage," he said.
Johnson returned to the trick play sheet early in the fourth quarter after Gervon Dexter Sr. recovered Joe Flacco's fumble at the Bengals 38.
On first-and-10, Chicago had an empty backfield and backup quarterback Tyson Bagent lined up wide right with two other receivers.
Williams threw a quick backward pass to Bagent, who looked like he was going to go vertical before he threw across the field to Williams, who had left guard Joe Thuney blocking for him as he went up the left sideline for 18 yards.
The drive was capped by a 36-yard field goal from Cairo Santos that put the Bears ahead 34-27.
“We had a little momentum. I was looking to piggyback on that,” Johnson said. “It’s just one of those gadgets where you’re throwing it out wide, trying to get some young players on their defense to potentially have bad eyes. We had the ability to throw that ball down the field. They covered it well down there. But then we were able to throw it back across.”
The Bears also had an apparent 14-yard completion from tight end Cole Kmet to Odunze that was ruled incomplete after a video review. Chicago finished with 576 yards of offense.
“I think we had a lot of plays in general, so we were just cycling through what we felt like would work, and I don’t feel like it was any more on the game plan than we normally have,” Johnson said.
Williams also became the first player in NFL history with at least 275 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards in a game.
He completed 20 of 34 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns along with 53 rushing yards on five carries.
According to the NFL and the Elias Sports Bureau, the last player with at least two receptions and 10 completions in a game was Washington’s Harry Gilmer on Nov. 27, 1949, against the New York Giants.
Williams, who had one catch in college at Southern California, might now be seen as a receiving threat instead of a decoy.
“Typically, defenses don’t account for the quarterback unless it’s a zone read,” Williams said. “It happens like that, where a defense accounts for the 10 other players, and that’s how it goes, even for quarterbacks running. I would just take off when it wasn’t there and try to stay on track and help us get back in range.”
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