Caleb Williams starts Bears preseason game vs Bengals
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams started Saturday night's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, his first game action of 2026. Williams led Chicago's opening drive to a 45-yard Cairo Santos field goal, completing 2 of 5 passes for 28 yards while overthrowing tight end Colston Loveland on what would have been a touchdown.
The outing marked a shift for head coach Ben Johnson, who had been noncommittal about playing Williams after a joint practice with Cincinnati on Thursday. Most Bears starters took the field in Cincinnati, while Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Thursday he would not play his starters.
Key Takeaways
- Williams and most Chicago starters played after sitting out preseason Week 1 against Cleveland.
- He went 2-for-5 for 28 yards on the opening drive, which ended with a 45-yard Santos field goal.
- Johnson reversed course after previously saying he did not need to see Williams in the preseason.
- Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent did not travel after a hamstring injury in the opener.
- Williams faced a Bengals defense made up mostly of second- and third-string players.
Why Did Ben Johnson Change His Mind About Caleb Williams?
Before preseason Week 1, Johnson told reporters he did not need to see Williams in exhibition games. "But do I need to see Caleb Williams in the preseason? No, I don't," he said, according to Sports Illustrated.
Johnson changed course after the Bears and Bengals held a joint practice Thursday. He told the Bears' pregame show on ESPN 1000 that Williams was "prepared to play as long as he needs to for our offense," adding it would be good for the quarterback to go through a night-game routine.
Complicating the depth chart, Bagent did not make the trip after hurting his hamstring in the preseason opener. That left Johnson with fewer options behind Williams on Saturday.
How Did Caleb Williams Perform Against the Bengals?
Williams took the field for the first time in a game setting this year at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Aug. 22, 2026. His biggest moment on the opening series was a miss rather than a completion — he overthrew Loveland on a would-be touchdown before Santos finished the drive with a 45-yard kick.
The Chicago Sun-Times noted the outing mirrored his 2025 preseason pattern, when he sat out the first exhibition and played 14 snaps in the second game just three days after a joint practice with Buffalo.
Cincinnati treated the night lightly on offense, starting 40-year-old third-string quarterback Josh Johnson. Taylor's backups gave Williams a look against mostly reserve defenders rather than Joe Burrow and the Bengals' first-team starters.
Who Else Played for the Bears on Saturday Night?
Williams had several offensive weapons available, including Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland and Kalif Raymond, according to Sports Illustrated. Luther Burden did not play because of injury, and D'Andre Swift sat out for reasons unrelated to injury.
On the offensive line, all but Joe Thuney and Ozzy Trapilo were expected to play. Defensive starters T.J. Edwards, Grady Jarrett and Austin Booker were in street clothes and did not dress for the game.
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