The 2026 NFL season opened with two of the NFC North’s rising stars putting together performances that had the league buzzing, and Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski were paying close attention.
On the debut episode of FOX Sports’ “Gronk & Jules,” Edelman and Gronkowski handed out their Week 1 “Employees of the Week” honors, and each host picked one star from teams in the NFC North.
Edelman went with Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, while Gronkowski sided with Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
Julian Edelman’s Employee Of The Week
Edelman rolled with the guy who quarterbacked the highest-scoring offense on Sunday as his “Employee of the Week.”
“Employee of the week for me, Caleb Williams,” Edelman said. “That was a fun game to watch. That’s what you want to see out of your offense. Week 1, 59 points, man. He threw it well. He rushed it well. He looked fast. The whole embracing the Chicago culture — that was a fun, cool win, man. That was big time.”
Williams torched the Carolina Panthers in a 59-37 win, completing 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns while adding 65 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground. His 124.1 passer rating and four total touchdowns made him the first quarterback in Bears history to record at least 200 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 50 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the same game.
Gronkowski agreed, adding that Williams’ style of play is drawing eyeballs to Chicago’s offense.
“He’s gonna draw viewers in because of the way he plays the game,” Gronkowski said. “It’s special. It’s entertaining. That’s what people want to see. He’s electric, and when you’re electric, you know that’s a special trait to have. People are going to tune in. The city of Chicago is head over heels in love.”
Rob Gronkowski’s Employee Of The Week
Gronkowski then turned to his own pick, one that came from the other side of the division.
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs authored a milestone of his own in a 31-30 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Gibbs carried 29 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns, adding five catches for 30 yards. His first score of the day was his 50th career touchdown in his 50th game, and he finished the afternoon with 51, making him just the sixth player in NFL history to reach 50 touchdowns within his first 50 games, joining Jim Brown, Marcus Allen, Chuck Foreman, Larry Johnson and Steve Van Buren.
“And for my employee of the week … Jahmyr Gibbs, I gotta go with him,” Gronkowski said. “He absolutely balled out. 156 yards, two TDs rushing. He contributed in the pass game as well. Fastest player to 50 touchdowns in history. He has 51 touchdowns currently because he scored two in this game in 50 games. This guy is a special talent, and just like Caleb Williams, he’s electric as well, and he’s fun to watch.”
Ben Johnson spent three seasons as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, helping build one of the NFL’s most productive offenses before Chicago hired him as head coach in January 2025. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
With Williams and Gibbs showing out on Sunday, Edelman and Gronkowski couldn’t hold their excitement for the Lions-Bears matchups later this season.
“It’s going to be a helluva game when the Detroit Lions face the Chicago Bears,” Gronkowski said.
Williams’ Bears and Gibbs’ Lions meet twice this season, starting with a Thanksgiving Day clash at Ford Field on Nov. 26 before meeting again at Soldier Field in Week 17 on FOX’s “America’s Game of the Week.”
That matchup carries extra history for both teams given Bears head coach Ben Johnson’s roots in Detroit. Johnson spent three seasons (2022-24) as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, helping build one of the NFL’s most productive offenses before Chicago hired him as head coach in January 2025.
“Another reason why it’s going to be a battle? Ben Johnson came from Detroit,” Gronkowski said. “This rivalry is getting more special as it goes on.”
