Multiple Chicago Bears players insisted throughout the summer that concerns related to the alleged “Hollywood” personality of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams were downright silly.
For a lengthy piece produced by The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns that was published on Friday, Williams’ teammates praised the 22-year-old’s maturity and leadership qualities ahead of Chicago’s Week 1 game versus the Tennessee Titans this Sunday.
“He acts like he’s been here,” Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings said about Williams. “And that sounds crazy. Any rookie that acts like he’s been here, you don’t like it. But when it’s the quarterback, it’s needed. It really is needed. That’s what I watch. I watch how he is in practice. If everything doesn’t go well, like what does he do? Some guys are like, ‘Oh, man.’ Can they go to the next play? He goes to the next play very well.”
Williams entered March as the top prospect on many draft boards because of his undeniable physical abilities and his on-the-field accomplishments. However, some ranked signal-caller Jayden Daniels ahead of Williams because they believed that Daniels “loves football more” and “has better wiring” than the USC Trojans star, who last season cried in his mother’s arms in the stands following a loss and has painted his fingernails from time to time.
The Bears ignored such takes and happily made Williams the draft’s first choice in April. Teammates such as Chicago linebacker T.J. Edwards seem thrilled that Williams will lead the Bears into battle this Sunday as their QB1.
“I like when people come in, no matter who they are, rookies or a vet that signed, and they’re truly themselves,” Edwards said. “For someone to come in, especially first-round pick, all that hype, I don’t know what that feels like — he just came in and has been himself. He’s a positive dude, which I really like. … It’s easy to want to come in and try to fit this mold or narrative. He’s just himself, and that’s the best part.”
As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Williams as the betting favorite at +135 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award this season. That same book had the Bears at -110 odds to make the playoffs.
Williams is seemingly doing well to block out such hype ahead of the Titans game.
“He just seems like he’s part of the guys,” safety Kevin Byard added about Williams. “…I think he’s doing a good job bonding with the entire team and not just his offensive line or his running backs or receivers. He’s hanging with the defensive guys, we’re all hanging out in the back of the bus making jokes. You just don’t normally see that from a rookie who just got into a position where he’s around a lot of veteran guys, who’s around guys who’ve made a lot of plays in this league.”
Williams hasn’t been shy about clapping back at critics since the spring and will now look to have his play speak for itself beginning with Sunday’s home showdown with the Titans at Soldier Field.