Caleb Williams’ family so badly didn’t want him to be drafted by the Chicago Bears that he and his family “weighed circumventing the entire NFL draft,” according to a new book from ESPN’s Seth Wickersham that’s set to publish in September.
Carl Williams, the father of the Bears quarterback, opened up to Wickersham about his son’s lack on interest in Chicago, admitting he went to “great lengths” to try to make sure that didn’t happen.
“Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,” Carl said.
The family even consulted lawyers to try and figure out if it were possible to get around the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. Williams even considered signing with the United Football League.
Carl’s concern for his son — according to Wickersham — came from the Bears failing to draft a star quarterback since the 1980s. Recent draftees Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields — who both had high expectations — didn’t work out in Chicago.
Wickersham noted in his book that his family thought they might be able to force a trade if they publicly attacked the team and the city of Chicago, but Williams told Wickersham “wasn’t ready to nuke the city” if the Bears refused to trade him.
But after a pre-draft visit to the Bears facility, Williams was confident it was the right team.
“I can do it for this team,” Williams told his dad, per Wickersham. “I’m going to go to the Bears.”
The Bears drafted Williams No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. The quarterback threw for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns during Chicago’s 5-12 season.
