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          Chicago Bears

          Caleb Williams, Maxx Crosby talk 'Superman,' mutual respect

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          Is it time for Maxx Crosby and Raiders to part ways? (2:19)

          Dan Graziano, Bart Scott and Mike Tannenbaum discuss the best course of action for Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason. (2:19)

          • Courtney CroninFeb 19, 2026, 06:32 AM ET
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              Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever and GameNight on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.
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          From the moment Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sat opposite Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby on a sectional sofa in Southern California to record Crosby's "The Rush" podcast released this week, one thing became abundantly clear: These two have a lot of respect for each other.

          "What's gotten you to this point is being Superman," Crosby said. "What's gotten me to my level of wrecking games is I feel like I'm Superman."

          Crosby dropped an hourlong episode where he and Williams spoke candidly about a wide range of topics, from their mutual admiration to the quarterback's aspirations for himself and the Bears offense in 2026.

          Williams marveled at a play the Raiders DE made against the Bears in Week 4. Crosby started on the right side of the defensive line and quickly worked his way left to pick off Williams' pass at the line of scrimmage by batting the ball and tipping it to himself.

          "It's so frustrating," Williams said. "But the ball goes in the air and I'm like, no...f---, I gotta tackle him.

          "The relentless idea that he's earned and gained throughout his career and then he goes and make plays that I haven't probably been a part of. He wrecks the game in that way."

          The dynamic between the two will lead many Bears fans to wonder about pulling off a trade for the five-time Pro Bowler. But it's going to take more than a friendship with their QB to get the Bears to pony up what the Raiders are likely to demand for the 28-year-old defensive end, who is under contract through the 2029 season.

          Crosby is among the league's most-discussed trade candidates after he was reportedly upset with the Raiders for shutting him down near the end of the 2025 season. Crosby posted videos of himself playing basketball and jumping on a trampoline after Las Vegas put him on injured reserve in December with a knee injury.

          ESPN's Adam Schefter said on "The Pat McAfee Show" that the Raiders would prefer not to trade Crosby, and it would take a Micah Parsons-type package for them to even consider dealing him. The Dallas Cowboys received Kenny Clark and two first-round picks from the Green Bay Packers for Parsons.

          In the meantime, Williams appeared in the NBA's celebrity 3-point contest during All-Star Weekend and is giving himself a two-week reprieve from his strict in-season diet to splurge on his favorite junk foods.

          "I'm actually itching to get back, to be honest," Williams said. "I'm fighting myself right now because I do know that rest and getting away is extremely important, so I'm fighting the urge right now.

          "[The] fire is burning."

          In his second season, Williams led the Bears to the NFC North title and their first playoff win in 15 years under the tutelage of first-year coach Ben Johnson.

          Williams referenced the 2013 Denver Broncos, who hold the record for the highest scoring offense in NFL history with 606 points in a season (37.9 points per game), which coincided with quarterback Peyton Manning tossing a career-best 55 touchdowns while leading the NFL in passing (5,477 yards).

          The Bears ranked ninth in scoring by averaging 25.9 points. Williams said he wants to nearly double that figure during his third season by striving to hang 50 on his opponents each week with a mindset to be "the best offense to ever touch the grass."

          "I really want to become the greatest offense this year," Williams said. "So that's really on my mind. Being able to find ways to put up points every single time we're out there.

          "Whatever that comes down to. And I think that starts with ... getting these completions, starting drives, getting drives going and then helping with protection or making sure that [I'm] delivering some easy what we call 'runner balls' and getting these drives going and scoring."

          Williams' mindset is one that he shares with his head coach.

          "[Johnson] is like a player," Williams said. "He wants to whoop everybody's ass."