ESPN shared several details about Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in Seth Wickersham’s upcoming book, American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback. Here are the three biggest takeaways.
Caleb Williams Wanted To Go To Minnesota
According to @SethWickersham's new book, Caleb Williams told his father that he wanted to play for the Vikings after meeting Kevin O'Connell during the 2024 combine. The book also details the Williams' doubts about playing in Chicago, who drafted him No. 1 https://t.co/VcJfhe8GMp pic.twitter.com/AVGn5LOUYT
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) May 15, 2025
If Williams could have picked the team to take him in the 2024 NFL Draft, the USC quarterback would have chosen the Minnesota Vikings.
According to the book (shared by ESPN), Williams met Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell at the NFL Combine and “hit it off.” Williams started to envision himself playing for O’Connell.
“I need to go to the Vikings,” Williams told his father, Carl Williams. Carl agreed with Caleb’s preference.
However, the duo knew the Chicago Bears, who held the No. 1 pick, would likely not trade with their division rival.
“We’re drafting you no matter what,” Bears GM Ryan Poles told Williams.
‘Chicago Is The Place Quarterbacks Go To Die’
A new book reveals that for a long stretch in the pre-draft process, Caleb Williams and his father worked to find a way to prevent the Bears from drafting him in 2024.
"Chicago is the place where quarterbacks go to die," Carl Williams said.
More details: https://t.co/bkXexm9DNH pic.twitter.com/RNXZuTGkkf
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) May 15, 2025
In the lead-up to the NFL Draft, Williams was aware of Chicago’s poor track record with quarterbacks. The Bears are the only NFL team without a quarterback throwing for 4,000 yards in a single season.
“Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,” Carl told Wickersham in the months before the 2024 NFL Draft.
Carl did not want his son to play for the Bears, so he sought other options. One involved the United Football League. Carl looked into Williams signing in the UFL and then becoming an unrestricted NFL free agent in 2025.
Carl spoke with Archie Williams, who famously helped his son Eli get to the New York Giants in the 2004 NFL Draft.
Carl was also upset about the rookie wage scale and how the Bears could have control of his son for up to eight years.
Bears Did Not Teach Caleb Williams How To Watch Film
this quote makes Caleb Williams’ early handling of protections and no-huddle plays even more impressive. https://t.co/BdyfEruodc pic.twitter.com/G5vLP48YiC
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) May 15, 2025
Mentoring a rookie quarterback is crucial in the development process.
Apparently, head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron did not have someone sit down with Williams and instruct him on what to look for while watching film.
“No one tells me what to watch,” Williams told his father. “I just turn it on.”
Eberflus and Waldron were fired before the season ended. The Bears finished 5-12.
Williams will look to bounce back in year two under the tutelage of new head coach Ben Johnson.
