Bears' Caleb Williams Won't Play in 2024 NFL Preseason Game vs. Chiefs

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will not play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, head coach Matt Eberflus said Tuesday (h/t The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain).

The majority of the Bears' remaining starters will also sit out, Eberflus said.

Williams has appeared in the Bears' previous preseason games against the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. On Saturday he went 6-of-13 for 75 yards while adding a seven-yard rushing touchdown in a 27-3 win over the Bengals.

Williams will conclude his debut NFL preseason having taken 43 snaps. That's short of the original goal set by the Bears, as the team initially indicated that Williams would see between 45 and 55 snaps in the preseason, per ESPN's Courtney Cronin.

He finished the preseason having connected on 10 of 20 passes for 170 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a 79.2 passer rating.

Eberflus had high praise of the No. 1 pick of the 2024 draft when speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

"He's a great learner, really smart, he works really hard, but he's also able to work with others," Eberflus said about Williams, per Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago. "He's compatible personality-wise, instinct-wise to work with people. His willingness to learn is second to none."

Eberflus' decision comes after Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters Monday that he would "probably" sit his own starters, including star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for Thursday's preseason contest.

Williams' next start is now set to take place on Sept. 8 during the Bears' regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans.

NFL fans will need to wait longer for the first matchup between Mahomes and Williams, as the Bears and Chiefs are not slated to meet again during the regular season.

Bears fans still have a reason to tune in on Thursday as backups fight to stay with the team for the regular season. The preseason action against the Chiefs is the last chance some players will have to audition for a roster spot before final cuts are submitted next Tuesday.