Caleb Williams followed up one of the greatest touchdown passes of all time with a nightmare interception as the Chicago Bears came up short in their bid to reach the NFC Championship game.
The Bears were beaten 20-17 by the Los Angeles Rams on a dramatic night at Soldier Field, where Williams, 24, produced an astonishing Hail Mary right at the death to force overtime.
With just 21 seconds on the clock, and Chicago trailing 17-10 on a fourth-and-4, the quarterback initially retreated in a desperate bid to evade two Rams defenders, before he pulled out a mesmerizing 51-yard pass to find Cole Kmet in the end zone.
The touchdown sparked jubilant scenes as Cairo Santos then made the extra point to set up overtime, but it was there where Williams went from hero to zero.
After LA failed to score on the opening possession, he threw the costliest of interceptions while attempting a 20-yard pass downfield to DJ Moore, which was caught by Rams defender Kam Curl.
The visitors then went on to seal the victory when Harrison Mevis kicked the game-winning field goal from 42 yards.
Caleb Williams went from hero to zero as the Chicago Bears crashed out of the NFL playoffs
It proved a heartbreaking outcome for Chicago and Williams, whose all-time great touchdown pass is in vain after the defeat.
However, the heroic moment still left fans in disbelief on social media, with many calling it the best pass of all time.
‘Legit the greatest play I ever saw,’ one user claimed on X.
‘This may be the craziest throw I’ve ever seen,’ said another.
A third wrote: ‘we have never seen anything like this before. caleb williams is different.’
A fourth posted: ‘easily one of the greatest throws i’ve ever seen caleb williams isn’t human’.
One simply put: ‘One of the best throws ever holy s***’.
Even Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes couldn’t resist commenting on Williams’ Hail Mary, writing three laughing emojis on X while adding: ‘awesome!’
The Rams (14-5) will now visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl. The Seahawks beat San Francisco 41-6 on Saturday.
Williams produced one of the greatest touchdown passes of all time to salvage overtime
But he then threw a disastrous interception straight to the hands of Rams defender Kam Curl
‘It was crazy,’ LA quarterback Matthew Stafford said about Sunday’s win over Chicago. ‘It was back and forth. We didn’t play our best on offense. Our defense dominated the game. It was unbelievable to watch.’
Stafford, 37, then added: ‘Hell of a play on fourth down by Caleb to get his team to overtime. And just glad we got the ball back.’
The Rams led 17-10 in the final minute and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left.
Although officially a 14-yard pass, the ball traveled 51.2 yards in the air, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
Williams threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted three times as the Bears (12-7) – who pulled off seven fourth-quarter comeback wins under first-year coach Ben Johnson – came up short this time. They won the NFC North after finishing last in the division a year ago.
Stafford led a 91-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, with Kyren Williams scoring from the five-yard line to give the Rams a 17-10 lead with 8:50 remaining. Puka Nacua kept the possession going on the previous play with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-5.
Matthew Stafford heaped praise on his opposite number for a ‘hell of a play’ late in regulation
Williams showed his immense potential with the Hail Mary to help send the game to overtime
The Bears then drove to the two, but Omar Speights broke up Williams’ fourth-down pass to Luther Burden just inside the goal line.
Chicago got the ball back at midfield with just under two minutes remaining after Ethan Evans shanked a 33-yard punt, setting up Williams’ heroics.
In overtime, the Bears won the toss and deferred. They quickly got the ball back when the Rams went three-and-out, forced to punt after Blake Corum was stopped for a one-yard loss on third-and-1 at the 36.
Chicago took over at the 16. Williams kept the drive going with a three-yard keeper on fourth-and-1 near midfield. But Curl picked off his pass intended for Moore two plays later.
Stafford was 20 of 42 for 258 yards and took four sacks. Nacua had 56 yards receiving after going for 111 in a wild-card win over Carolina, and Kyren Williams ran for 87 yards and two scores.
Caleb Williams completed 23 of 42 passes for 257 yards. Moore had a touchdown catch, and D’Andre Swift ran for 76 yards.
