Being a fan of the Monsters of the Midway usually means two things: loving a bone-crushing defense and having a very, very long memory for mediocre passing. If you look at the list of Chicago Bears quarterbacks over the last century, it reads less like a Hall of Fame register and more like a revolving door at a busy downtown hotel. For decades, the "4,000-yard season" was the franchise's White Whale—a statistical milestone reached by almost every other team in the NFL, yet somehow impossible for anybody wearing a Navy and Orange jersey.
That finally changed.
As of January 2026, the narrative has shifted. Caleb Williams didn't just break the rookie records in 2024; he absolutely shattered the "Bears QB Curse" during the 2025-26 campaign. In a playoff thriller against the Green Bay Packers on January 11, 2026, Williams officially crossed the 4,000-yard threshold, finishing the regular season and early playoffs with a staggering 4,303 passing yards. It’s a weird feeling for Chicago. We aren't used to seeing a guy under center who can actually win a game with his arm when the defense gives up 27 points.
The Modern Era: From Fields to the Williams Revolution
Before the current era, the list of Chicago Bears quarterbacks was defined by "almosts." Justin Fields was supposed to be the one. Honestly, the kid was electric. You can’t watch his 1,143-yard rushing season in 2022 and not think he was a generational talent. But the passing never quite clicked, and by 2023, the front office decided it was time to reset.
💡 You might also like: What Channel is Champions League on: Where to Watch Every Game in 2026
Then came the trade. Moving Fields to Pittsburgh opened the door for Caleb Williams, and the difference was immediate. In 2024, Williams set rookie franchise records for completions (351) and passing touchdowns (20). But it was 2025 where he truly ascended. Under the guidance of head coach Ben Johnson—the former Lions offensive mastermind who took the Chicago job to fix the league's most broken position—Williams transformed the Bears' offense.
He’s currently sitting at the No. 12 spot in The Ringer’s national QB rankings. That might not sound like much to a Chiefs fan, but for Chicago? It’s basically like having a deity on the roster.
The Names We’d Rather Forget (and a Few We Love)
If we go back further, the list gets a little depressing. Since 2000, thirty different men have started at quarterback for this team. Think about that. Thirty.
📖 Related: Eastern Conference Finals 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
- Jay Cutler (2009–2016): Love him or hate him, "Smokin' Jay" is still technically the franchise leader in most career categories. He threw for 23,443 yards and 154 touchdowns. He was also remarkably consistent at throwing to the guys in the other jerseys, finishing his Chicago tenure with 109 interceptions.
- Mitchell Trubisky (2017–2020): The man who was picked over Patrick Mahomes. It’s a stat that will haunt Bears fans until the end of time. He had a 29-21 record, which isn't terrible, but he never looked like "the guy."
- Rex Grossman (2003–2008): The "Sex Cannon" era was a wild ride. He’d throw a 50-yard bomb for a TD on one play and a soul-crushing pick-six on the next. Somehow, he led them to a Super Bowl in 2006, though the defense and Devin Hester did most of the heavy lifting.
- Jim McMahon (1982–1988): The Punky QB. He’s the only one on the list of Chicago Bears quarterbacks with a Super Bowl ring as a starter. His stats weren't mind-blowing, but his 46-15 record as a starter proves he just knew how to win.
The Deep History: Sid Luckman and the T-Formation
To find the true "Great" on this list, you have to go all the way back to the 1940s. Sid Luckman didn't just play quarterback; he revolutionized the position. He was the engine behind the T-formation that helped the Bears win four NFL championships.
In 1943, Luckman threw seven touchdowns in a single game. That’s a record that still stands today, shared by guys like Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. It’s wild to think that for nearly 80 years, the best quarterback in Chicago history played in a leather helmet.
Notable Starters Through the Decades
- The 50s and 60s: Ed Brown and Billy Wade were the stalwarts here. Wade actually led the Bears to an NFL Championship in 1963. He was a Pro Bowler that year and threw for over 250 yards in the title game against the Giants.
- The 70s Drouth: This was a dark time. Bobby Douglass was a phenomenal athlete—he once rushed for 968 yards in a 14-game season—but he couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat.
- The 90s Peak: Erik Kramer in 1995 was the closest we got to modern greatness before now. He threw for 3,838 yards and 29 touchdowns. For thirty years, that 3,838 was the gold standard in Chicago. It’s almost embarrassing that it took until 2026 to beat it.
Why the Current List Matters for the Future
The list of Chicago Bears quarterbacks is finally starting to look like a modern NFL roster. In 2025, Caleb Williams led the team to an NFC North title and a playoff victory over the Packers—a game where he orchestrated a game-winning drive in the final two minutes. That kind of "clutch" factor is something Chicago hasn't seen in a generation.
👉 See also: Texas vs Oklahoma Football Game: Why the Red River Rivalry is Getting Even Weirder
The depth behind him is solid, too. Tyson Bagent, the Division II Cinderella story, remains a reliable backup, and the veteran presence in the room has helped Williams limit his mistakes. He only threw seven interceptions in the 2025 regular season. For a franchise that used to lead the league in turnovers, that's a miracle.
If you’re tracking the history of this position, the next few years are critical. Williams is eligible for a massive extension soon, and for the first time in forever, the Bears won't be looking at the draft board for a savior. They’ve already got him.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're digging into the data or looking to win a bar argument about the list of Chicago Bears quarterbacks, keep these specific details in your back pocket:
- The 4,000-Yard Milestone: Caleb Williams is the first and only Bear to hit 4,000 passing yards in a season (achieved January 2026).
- The Games Started Record: Jay Cutler still holds the record with 102 starts. At his current pace, Williams wouldn't catch him until late 2029.
- The Efficiency Shift: Under Ben Johnson, the Bears' "big three" receivers (Moore, Allen, and Odunze) all cleared 700 yards in 2024, a feat only one other team in the NFL accomplished that year.
- The Rivalry Factor: Williams has already beaten Green Bay in the playoffs, something neither Cutler nor Trubisky could manage.
The "List" is no longer a source of shame. It’s a record of a team that finally stopped living in the 1940s and joined the modern era of football. For the first time in a century, the most important name on the list isn't a retired Hall of Famer—it's the guy taking snaps on Sunday.