Bears Open Season With Caleb Williams Facing Panthers

The Chicago Bears open their 2026 NFL season on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, with quarterback Caleb Williams entering his third year as the franchise cornerstone. The Week 1 matchup at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff on FOX. Williams is coming off a record-setting 2025 campaign in which he threw for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns, setting the Bears' single-season passing record. He led Chicago to an 11-6 record, an NFC North title, and its first playoff win since 2010. The season ended with a painful overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round, a game decided by an interception Williams threw on the Bears' first possession of extra time. "It still bothers me today, every single time the play pops up," Williams said of the interception, which came on a miscommunication with wide receiver DJ Moore. "It burns. It's frustrating. Still." That memory has fueled Williams' offseason work. Head coach Ben Johnson has set a specific goal for the quarterback: raising his completion percentage from 58.1% to 70% in 2026.