- author, Paul Higham
- role, bbc sports journalist
It seemed like a no-brainer for the Chicago Bears to select Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but who is the man being hailed as the team's savior and the sport's next big star? I wonder who it is?
In short, he is different. Not only his talent on the field, but his character and outsized personality off the field is exactly what is needed to turn this struggling franchise around.
Bears fans believe the pick marked a turning point for a team that hasn't been to a Super Bowl since the famous 1985 season, hasn't won a playoff game since 2010, and hasn't had any hope since then. I hope to look back on it in a few years.
There have been false dawns and near misses, but the Bears, the second-oldest team in the NFL with nine overall championships, have never had a star quarterback in the modern era.
Their dreams now rest on a 22-year-old who can do just about anything in college football, and all eyes will be on him when the season opens in September.
What type of quarterback is Williams?
Williams started at Oklahoma, then transferred to the University of Southern California (USC), where he easily won the Heisman Trophy as college football's best player in his first year at USC in 2022.
Although the team struggled more than last year, Williams shined not only as one of the best two-way quarterbacks, but also as a quarterback who doesn't give the ball away.
Williams totaled 10,082 passing yards and 93 touchdowns in his three years in college, throwing just 14 interceptions and had 960 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground.
Consider the fact that Williams can extend plays and throw just as well during scrambles as he does in the pocket – think Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers on the run – and his His skillset had NFL talent evaluators salivating.
In critical third-down and fourth-down situations, he elevated his game to an elite level, completing 199 passes without an interception, while in the red zone he threw 46 touchdowns, giving the ball away It only happened once.
“One of the most talented quarterbacks I've ever evaluated,” said Chris Sims, a former NFL quarterback and current television analyst. “One of the greatest pitchers in college football history.”
Why is Williams so good?
image source, Getty Images
Although Williams has yet to play in the NFL, he is one of the most marketable sports stars in the United States. Even during his college years, he is said to have earned up to $10 million from sponsorship deals.
Always doing things his own way, he has his own style, from the pink phone case to the painted nails he wears while watching the women's NCAA basketball tournament.
A video of Williams crying with her mother after USC's loss to Washington last year also went viral, and Williams later used the video as part of her mental health advocacy efforts.
Williams responded on social media: “I give my all to every play, every opportunity I'm given. I'm a mental health advocate, I've been emotional and I've expressed myself. ” he said.
And true to his word, Williams has started his own foundation called Caleb Cares, which focuses on mental health, anti-bullying, and youth empowerment.
He was the first true millionaire college star to enter the NFL, and some say this means he doesn't have the same hunger, but how passionate he is He has shown that he will definitely give his all to bring success to the Chicago Bears.
Why Williams can revive the Bears
image source, Getty Images
For more about the sleeping giant, read Hibernating Bears. The 105-year-old team is one of only two remaining original NFL teams, but it hasn't had much recent success.
The Bears won nine NFL championships, including one in the Super Bowl. They have won the second most games and have the most players in the Hall of Fame in NFL history.
Only one of them was a true franchise quarterback. The fact that 85 years ago it was Sid Luckman shows why fans are desperate for Williams to fill that sore hole.
The team overtook Mahomes in the 2017 draft to select Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick, and in 2021 they selected Justin Fields with the 11th overall pick, but neither resulted in results.
But they went all-in on Williams as the only quarterback to play in Chicago during the pre-draft process, supplying the new playmaker with receiving targets.
Roma Odunze was selected with the ninth overall pick in this year's draft, and veteran six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen joined as a free agent.
With construction underway on a new stadium, Chicago can finally have hope for the future, but a lot rests on the talented shoulders of its new quarterback.
