In a stunning revelation that’s sent shockwaves through the NFL, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis dropped a bombshell Monday: the Chicago Bears were this close to selecting J.J. McCarthy as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, passing over the electrifying Caleb Williams. The insider scoop, detailed in Lewis’s gripping feature on McCarthy’s meteoric rise (subscription required), unveils a tantalizing what-if scenario that could’ve reshaped the league’s quarterback landscape.
Lewis spoke with Greg Holcomb, a renowned quarterback coach who’s worked closely with the 22-year-old now-Vikings signal-caller. Holcomb shared a jaw-dropping conversation he had with Bears general manager Ryan Poles post-draft. “[Poles] was talking about how much they loved J.J.,” Holcomb revealed. “And said to me, ‘I don’t think people realize how close we were to possibly taking him.’ Obviously, they love Caleb, but I thought that was interesting.”
Let that sink in. The Bears, who ultimately handed the keys to their franchise to Williams—a rookie phenom who lit up the stat sheet with 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and just six interceptions in 2024—nearly pivoted to McCarthy, the poised and gritty quarterback who landed with the Minnesota Vikings at No. 10 overall. This isn’t just a footnote; it’s a seismic “what could’ve been” that’s rewriting the narrative of the 2024 draft.
Had the Bears pulled the trigger on McCarthy at No. 1, the draft’s entire quarterback carousel would’ve spun into chaos. The Washington Commanders, holding the No. 2 pick, would’ve faced a monumental decision: snatch up Caleb Williams, the generational talent left on the board, or stick with their eventual choice, Jayden Daniels, whose dual-threat dynamism has already turned heads. If Washington’s love for Daniels ran deep enough to bypass Williams, the New England Patriots, sitting at No. 3, would’ve been left to choose between Williams and Drake Maye, their actual selection.
The hypotheticals pile up like a house of cards, each pick threatening to topple the next. Would Williams have slipped further? Could Maye have landed elsewhere, altering the trajectory of multiple franchises? It’s a dizzying thought experiment, one that underscores just how razor-thin the margins are in NFL draft rooms.
The fact that Chicago even considered McCarthy at No. 1 speaks volumes about the young quarterback’s stock. Snagged by Minnesota at No. 10, McCarthy was seen as a steal by many analysts, a player with the intangibles—leadership, poise, and a knack for winning—that could make him a franchise cornerstone. The Vikings are banking on it, hoping they’ve unearthed their long-term answer under center.
Meanwhile, the Bears have no reason to second-guess their choice—yet. Caleb Williams has been a revelation, commanding the offense with a blend of precision and flair that’s drawn comparisons to some of the game’s greats. But the whispers of “what if” linger, especially as McCarthy prepares to face Chicago in a primetime showdown at Soldier Field to kick off the 2025 season on Monday Night Football.
That Week 1 clash promises to be more than just a divisional slugfest. For McCarthy, it’s a golden opportunity to prove the Bears made a colossal mistake. Every snap, every throw, every decision will carry the weight of that near-miss in the draft room. For Poles and the Bears’ brass, it’s a chance to reaffirm their faith in Williams, whose rookie campaign already has Chicago dreaming of postseason glory.
The Vikings, too, have plenty at stake. Landing a quarterback at No. 10 who was in the conversation for No. 1 is the kind of draft coup that can define a franchise for a decade. If McCarthy can outshine Williams under the bright lights, it’ll be a statement heard league-wide: Minnesota got a steal, and Chicago might’ve let a gem slip through their fingers.
This revelation isn’t just gossip—it’s a reminder of how fragile NFL draft decisions are, and how a single choice can ripple across the league. We’ll never know how the dominoes would’ve fallen had McCarthy donned navy and orange instead of purple and gold. But one thing’s certain: the Bears’ flirtation with McCarthy has added an extra layer of intrigue to an already storied rivalry.
As the 2025 season dawns, all eyes will be on Soldier Field. Will Williams cement his status as Chicago’s savior? Or will McCarthy, the one who almost was, show the Bears what they missed? Buckle up—this is one draft secret that’s about to play out in primetime.