CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears reached into their bag of tricks and dug deep in the end to pull out their wildest victory in years.
They matched their win total from last season and are in the thick of the NFC playoff race. Even so, they know they have room to grow.
“Yeah, we haven’t played our best football collectively as a team yet,” coach Ben Johnson said Monday, a day after the Bears outlasted Cincinnati 47-42 in a thriller that featured three touchdowns in the last two minutes.
“And yet," Johnson said, "we have found a way to win.”
The Bears (5-3) could at least exhale a day after their wild victory.
They're in a far better place in Johnson's first season than they were this time last year, when they were in a 10-game freefall that cost former coach Matt Eberflus his job.
It hasn't been the smoothest ride for Chicago. The Bears blew an 11-point lead in the opener against Minnesota and got blown out at Detroit the following week before winning four in a row and matching their best streak since 2018.
Williams' progress in his second season hasn't happened in a straight line. The former No. 1 draft pick still has a tendency to lock into targets and spend too much time scrambling, but he has also come up big late in close games. His 58-yard touchdown to Colston Loveland with 17 seconds remaining Sunday capped a performance like no other.
Williams not only threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns while running for 53 yards, he became the first quarterback in in nearly 82 years with multiple receptions in a game. He caught two passes for 22 yards and a TD.
“It just opens up the offense, just gives the defense another element that they have to account for as they game plan throughout the week," receiver Olamide Zaccheaus said. "You know, him being able to do that, extend drives, especially late in the game is huge for us and we’ve got to continue to build on that.”
The Bears had three more takeaways against Cincinnati to bring their league-leading total to 19. Chicago had 15 in a four-game win streak before coming away with none in a loss at Baltimore in Week 8.
If the Bears weren't already looking for help in the pass rush before Tuesday's deadline, they might be now.
Johnson said DE Dayo Odeyingbo suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury against Cincinnati, another blow for a team struggling to take down the quarterback. Signed last March to a three-year deal with $32 million guaranteed, he had one sack after recording 16 1/2 over his first four seasons with Indianapolis.
Odeyingbo's injury came on the same day DE Austin Booker made an impressive season debut. Booker had a strip sack against Joe Flacco when he bull-rushed his blocker, after missing the first seven games because of a knee injury.
The Bears are tied for 20th in the NFL with 17 sacks, and only three players have more than one, with Montez Sweat leading the team with four.
WR Rome Odunze. Though the second-year pro went from matching a career high with seven receptions for 114 yards at Baltimore to failing to catch a pass for the first time in his career, he has emerged as Williams' favorite option. The former Washington star leads the team in yards receiving (473), touchdown catches (five) and targets (59). His 31 receptions are tied with Zaccheaus for first on the Bears.
LT Braxton Jones. The 2022 fifth-round draft pick lost his starting job and then got placed on injured reserve. It has been a rough stretch. Jones has started 44 games in four seasons for Chicago, including the first four this year. He was lifted during a Week 4 win at Las Vegas and was placed on IR with a knee injury before the Baltimore game.
TE Cole Kmet was in the concussion protocol after getting hurt in Sunday's game.
71 — Penalties have been a big issue, with the Bears third in the league with 71 for 576 yards. Left tackle Theo Benedet's four false starts are tied for the most by an NFL offensive lineman.
The Bears host the New York Giants — losers of three straight and last in the NFC East — on Sunday before the schedule takes a tougher turn. They visit Minnesota in Week 11 and then play three straight against current division leaders, with a home game against Pittsburgh followed by trips to defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia and to Green Bay.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson arrives before an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) celebrates after his touchdown with wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (14) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle T.J. Slaton Jr. (98) pressures Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced Apartment Collection by Hilton, a new lodging category within Hilton's growing collection brand portfolio – offering unique, spacious furnished apartments with the trusted hospitality and reliability guests expect from Hilton. Apartment Collection by Hilton will be available for booking through Hilton channels in the first half of 2026, with initial properties in the U.S. launched in partnership with Placemakr—a leading apartment hospitality brand and operator specializing in flexible, short-term and extended-stay accommodations in urban and suburban markets, with nearly a decade of experience integrating innovative hospitality solutions and trusted service.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260115804669/en/
The launch of Apartment Collection by Hilton allows the company to build on its existing global inventory of approximately 10,000 apartment-style units, adding as many as 3,000 new units through its partnership with Placemakr. Hilton expects to significantly grow its apartment-style inventory over the next few years through this new partnership and through additional franchise agreements with new owners in the multi-family segment.
Designed to provide flexibility for guests to stay their way, Apartment Collection by Hilton offers studio to four-bedroom furnished apartments for a variety of stay occasions — from a family getaway or friends’ reunion to an extended work trip where business travelers need comfort and consistency. Featuring chef-ready kitchens, spacious separate living areas, and on-site laundry, each distinct property is located in the heart of sought-after destinations – offering guests easy access to both must-go-to destinations and unique, under-the-radar gems. Each stay delivers an elevated experience that captures the local character of its surroundings, with the convenience and smart amenities of apartment-style living. Guests will be thoughtfully hosted, with dedicated team members available on-site 24/7 to provide support and ensure guests feel cared for.
To bring this vision to life, Hilton is launching this brand in partnership with Placemakr—a leading brand and management company in the furnished and unfurnished apartment sectors. Placemakr’s proven operational model brings deep multi-family expertise to launch Hilton’s growth in this expanding segment. Placemakr has leveraged organic growth and asset-light management agreements with its business model and is centered on partnering with multi-family building owners to convert either an entire building or a subset of units in an apartment building into furnished short-term rentals. Through the partnership with Placemakr, as well as with relationships with multi-family owners, Hilton expects to see strong growth for the brand, given the popularity of the apartment-style hospitality market.
“Apartment Collection by Hilton represents the next chapter in Hilton’s growth story and the ways we are evolving to meet growing guest demand for this dynamic segment of hospitality,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “With this new brand, we are continuing to pioneer the future of the hospitality industry, giving guests even more ways to choose Hilton for every stay, backed by our service and reliability.”
Powered by Hilton’s trusted brand standards, Apartment Collection by Hilton will maintain consistent quality across every property, with every stay integrated into Hilton’s booking and loyalty systems, ensuring reliability and peace of mind for guests and owners alike. In the first half of 2026, travelers will be able to book stays via Hilton.com at Apartment Collection by Hilton in destinations including New York City, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
“After an extensive search, Hilton is proud to partner with Placemakr to introduce Hilton’s new lodging category,” said Chris Silcock, president, global brands and commercial services, Hilton. “We’ve long seen the opportunity to deliver hospitality-driven apartment stays, offering spacious accommodations, thoughtful amenities, and authentic connections to local neighborhoods, and Placemakr shares that vision. For nearly a decade, they’ve demonstrated a strong commitment to guests through high product standards and exceptional service.”
Each Apartment Collection by Hilton property will be thoughtfully designed to support guests’ routines and provide flexible spaces for real life. Guests will also enjoy access to fitness centers and select properties may also feature rooftop pools and terraces, communal gathering and workspaces, and on-site dining and retail.
“Placemakr is proud to bring our deep expertise in the furnished apartment space to this innovative new brand with Hilton,” said Bao Vuong, co-founder and president, Placemakr. “We’re thrilled for Hilton guests and Hilton Honors members to experience what we’ve built over the past decade. We’ve pioneered the furnished apartments asset class property by property, stay by stay, and to continue that work alongside the world’s most valuable hotel brand is so exciting.”
“We’re also excited for what this means for our real estate partners,” added Jason Fudin, co-founder and CEO, Placemakr. “Hilton’s industry-leading commercial engine and scale will help create even more value for our partners while accelerating our mission to maximize the value of real estate through flexibility. This marks a new chapter in flexible real estate, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Apartment Collection by Hilton will participate in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program with more than 235 million members for Hilton’s portfolio of world-class brands. Members will be able to book, earn and redeem Hilton Honors Points for stays through Hilton’s direct channels and have access to instant benefits, including exclusive member discounts and free standard Wi-Fi.
PJT Partners and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC were the strategic financial advisors on this partnership for Hilton and Placemakr, respectively.
For more information, visit Stories From Hilton.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 26 world-class brands comprising 9,000 properties and over 1.3 million rooms, in 141 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 235 million Hilton Honors members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook,X, LinkedIn,Instagram and YouTube.
About Placemakr
Placemakr is a hospitality brand and management company focused on the furnished apartment space. The company transforms multifamily properties into a unique blend of apartment living and hospitality and has been the pioneer of the flexible living asset class. Placemakr's innovative tech-enabled platform provides an unmatched experience for its guests and residents, combining the advantages of apartment living with the services and reliability of a hotel, all within a single building. Placemakr's thoughtfully curated spaces in carefully selected neighborhoods offer guests and residents the flexibility to stay for a night, a year, or any duration in between.
Hilton Introduces Apartment Collection by Hilton: Furnished Apartment Accommodations, Hosted by Hilton
