LOS ANGELES — The debate over the NFL’s premier quarterback just received a massive jolt. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson hold the hardware, boasting two MVP awards apiece and defining an entire generation of football. Mahomes wears three Super Bowl rings. Jackson breaks defensive ankles for a living. Yet, top sports analyst Colin Cowherd just looked past the trophy cases and pointed directly at Chicago.
Cowherd didn’t just praise Bears quarterback Caleb Williams; he strapped a rocket to his expectations. Speaking on Wednesday’s edition of The Herd, the veteran host declared that Williams is on a hyper-speed trajectory to become the absolute best signal-caller in the league by Labor Day 2026.
The Numbers That Silence the Critics
Cowherd backed up his bold claim with cold, hard math. During the 2025 season, Williams operated a high-octane offense and put up passing metrics that dwarfed the league’s established royalty.
I listened to the broadcast live as Cowherd rattled off the numbers, and you could practically hear the collective gasp from Chiefs Kingdom all the way from Kansas City. The stats speak loudly.
- Explosive Plays: Williams finished 2025 with the second-most big-time throws (20-plus yards downfield) in the entire NFL. He beat out Josh Allen, Mahomes, and Jackson.
- Elite Ball Security: Williams holds the lowest interception rate of any active quarterback since entering the league in 2024.
- Availability: The Bears star has not missed a single professional start, flashing rare durability for a mobile passer.
While Mahomes suffered a late-season ACL tear and Jackson battled his own injury bugs during an 8-9 Ravens campaign, Williams kept firing lasers. He combined rare arm strength with surgical precision, completely dismantling the pre-draft criticisms that he could not play within a structured offense.
“I looked up the stats this morning. Only one quarterback in the league had more big-time throws: 20-plus throws than Caleb Williams. It wasn’t Josh Allen, Mahomes, and it wasn’t Lamar Jackson. Caleb Williams has the lowest interception rate since he entered the league… I’m not into resumes. I’m into projecting 2026.”
— Colin Cowherd, The Herd
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
This shifting power dynamic changes everything for the upcoming 2026 NFL season. The Chicago Bears are arming Williams with an elite scheme under new head coach Ben Johnson, aiming to build the most lethal scoring attack in the NFC. Williams is currently sitting as the betting favorite to take home the 2026 NFL MVP award.
The pressure now shifts back to the veterans. Mahomes faces a grueling rehab to ready his knee for a Kansas City bounce-back tour. Jackson must adapt to incoming offensive coordinator Declan Doyle in Baltimore to return the Ravens to the postseason. The AFC heavyweights have ruled the league for a half-decade, but a new apex predator is stalking the NFC North.
Williams possesses the raw talent to claim the throne. If Johnson unlocks the final tier of his potential this summer, Cowherd’s shocking February prediction will look like an absolute prophecy by September.
