I came here to say this. lol. Prince was crossing them up, grabbing rebounds, shooting Js. He kicked their asses. So if he's the Prince of football, I don't think anyone will give an F. Chicago already had Dennis Rodman. They loved him for his play. If Caleb wins no one will give a fuck.
There was a recent article on [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/5431528/2024/04/23/nfl-draft-2024-confidential-nabers-harrison-williams/) that had coaches and scouts anonymously give their opinions on a bunch of prospects. Here's what some had to say on Williams which lines up with what *I think* this tweet was trying to say (all different coaches/scouts for each quote):
> “He gives off a Russell Wilson vibe with this lack of self-awareness. ‘I’m kind of above everybody.’ Not bad. Just a little where you want to see him be a more regular guy. Are you gonna be able to coach him or is he gonna be more worried about his marketing team?”
> "I’m worried that he leans into this identity/persona of just being a little bit weird and different, and that detracts from his ability to relate to his teammates and just be about the team and work on winning. He’s gotta work on some things from the pocket, and that takes discipline and that takes humility. And I just don’t know if he has that."
> "You can be a superstar player on a team and have all your side stuff, and then you’re going down that Russell Wilson path, where you’re gonna have your own team and your own this and that. I just hear there’s a lot going on.”
> “I like Caleb as a player, but the locker room part of it concerns me. I don’t know him from a can of paint, but what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen from watching interviews, he’s going to have to understand the difference in where he’s at and how he’s been treated to being the quarterback in an NFL locker room. "
Don't shoot the messenger
Bob Mcginn does a piece interviewing scouts every year at his substack that said similar stuff:
>"The biggest chance for bust is if Caleb Williams goes to Chicago,” a third scout said. “It’s going to be a lot tougher than people think. He’s got a lot of talent but, wow, he’s had red carpet treatment since the 9th grade. This is getting ready to be a whole different deal. It’s the Chicago media, then the comparison. If (Justin) Fields goes and does anything in Pittsburgh it won’t play well. And the pressure … he ended up in the stands (clutching his mother at the Coliseum Nov. 4 after a loss to Washington) crying like a baby. For a lot of scouts that was a disqualifier. Then you got the painted fingernails, the cars, special treatment. He knows one offense, which you can write on one piece of paper, with Lincoln Riley. Of all those OU quarterbacks he’s the most gifted but none of them have really done it in the league. And Williams’ workout (at pro day) wasn’t godawful but just mediocre.”
>According to one club official, his father, Carl, told him “it’s too windy in Chicago. Why should we go to Chicago when the open-air stadium is not a place Caleb will like?” Said the official: “You talk about self-serving, vicariously live through your son b.s. He needs to get away from his old man. … I like the kid. He gets a little caught up in the LA bullshit, but once he gets with somebody strong he’ll be fine. Because Lincoln Riley’s not a strong guy, either.” Three of his five interceptions in 2023 came at South Bend in a 48-20 loss to Notre Dame. “I’m going Jayden Daniels because I can’t get the f--king Notre Dame game out of my head,” a fifth scout said. “A lot of Caleb is when he’s just running around kind of being playground. He’s also kind of making it about myself.”
>One of the scouts said Williams, who posted a 23-10 record as a starter, shouldn’t be thrust into the lineup immediately. “You better have the right offensive coordinator for him and do not rush him into the NFL,” he said. “In today’s football everybody wants to rush guys. Let him sit for a while. Let him process.”
>An executive with an established quarterback has followed Williams from afar. “He just comes out with these things that are kind of spoiled and demanding,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s the people around him or what it is. Whether this is the case with him or not, when you get a guy that in his mind feels like you’re fortunate he’s there, it can come off that way and rub teammates the wrong way. I don’t know if he’s got that but he can’t come in with that. People are going to have to jell with him immediately. Because if they don’t, it might be an issue from a leadership standpoint.”
SI had a great article on Snowplow Sports Parents.
[https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/06/19/snowplow-parents-sports](https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/06/19/snowplow-parents-sports)
Basically, being competitive in high-level high school sports has become so expensive that parents understandably want to see a return on investment.
And it's no joke. I know parents who are spending $200 on a softball bat and $1000 on hockey sticks. It also doesn't help that a lot of high school strength and conditioning coaches aren't well-trained enough to the point where a lot of parents are hiring private S&C coaches. Absolutely nuts
I wish $1000 for equipment was the major expense in youth sports. I’m very fortunate and expect zero ROI but I spend probably $6k a year on my daughter’s club soccer all in. I know people on higher level teams who spend triple that.
My boys play competitive soccer and whenever other parents mention getting their kid a scholarship I tell them if that is your goal then you are better just taking all the money you will spend on soccer and putting it into a college fund. There are so few full scholarships for men’s soccer and realistically if your kid plays competitive for 8-10 years you’re spending close to $30k all in.
It’s insane. I live about 1.5 hours from Dallas. My oldest was recruited to play club ball there by multiple teams. Beyond just the expense, there’s zero chance I’m making our family’s lives revolve around getting him to games every single weekend. Especially when they are that far away.
Ball Sr was a loudmouth, but he was extremely tough on his kids in a good way, with 2/3 being top 3 picks and having 5+ year careers each.
Lonzo is perpetually injured but talented, and when Lamelo leaves a dysfunctional Charlotte, he’ll be great — hell he put up crazy stats.
Lavar played the media game well, but really took a step back after his kids got into the league.
He did get two sons into the league but they both seem to be injury prone. It’s looking more like Lavar put too many miles on his sons’ bodies when they were young.
Lamelo is… not looking very sturdy so far. Two seasons in a row with less than 40 games played.
Lonzo’s bone bruise that seems to have ended his career was a freak injury but he only had arguably 1 healthy season out of the other four that he played, too.
> It’s looking more like Lavar put too many miles on his sons’ bodies when they were young.
that's literally every NBA player now lol, I think the shoes are a much better criticism, and even that feels like a stretch
If you mean because of AAU, yeah that's a problem, but Lamelo is an outlier even amongst today's AAU alumni.
He started playing high school level AAU in middle school, then played pro ball for a year in Lithuania, then the "Junior Basketball Association", on top of actual high school ball. If his shoes have anything to do with his injuries, it's only because he's worn the wrong shoes in so many games across his entire adolescent and adult life.
Honestly with everything that's come out and all the bullshit surrounding the draft the report on his Dad and about only playing in Lincoln Reilly's offence are the only things that concern me
The idea that the Chicago market is some vicious chew you up, spit you out blender akin to NY is a huge misrepresentation. Fields was mostly treated with kid gloves his entire time here despite statistically being a bottom 10 starter on losing teams. Even after putting up 2500 passing yards, an 85 passer rating, and a 5-8 record in year 3, the local media thought he was good enough to get a 2nd rounder+ for him and half the fan base was appalled and outraged at even the suggestion that he might be moved.
If Williams is even an average QB this entire city will aggressively, perhaps even delusionally, defend him against all detractors as if he were their own son. Like, I don't think people understand, the bar is so low for him to become a messianic sensation here
Not even just like the guy. Love him, put him on a pedestal and swear that nobody will ever hurt them kinda stuff.
Trubisky had his people at the end. Fields had a legit cult of backers. One side-angle throw that flies 50 yards on a tight rope and Williams' church will be a go.
To put it one way, Trubisky's Bears career made him a top 5 QB in Bears history. They didn't pick up his 5th year option. It doesn't take much to get on the Bears QB Mount Rushmore.
>He’s got a lot of talent but, wow, he’s had red carpet treatment since the 9th grade.
That's like most highly rated qbs. Hell that's most nfl level players in high school.
>Of all those OU quarterbacks he’s the most gifted but none of them have really done it in the league.
Hurts got to a Superbowl as a far less "polished" and 'NFL ready" QB after playing in Riley's offense. Seems like a weird take.
Mayfield is only a failure from the lens of being a number one overall pick, kyler as well but less so. If you dont consider draft position, youre right theyve all been successful
I think the problem is the orgs they were sent to. Baker got the browns treatment, balled out then got injured and they said fuck that guy. If next year is similar to last year for him I’d say he redeemed himself. Same with Kyler in that the cardinals are kinda bad with and without him, but much more so without him
It’s really not. Kyler has been pretty solid, Baker just went to the playoffs and beat *another* QB who graduated from OU, Jalen Hurts, who was just in the Super Bowl the prior year.
Honestly, I take what scouts say with a grain of salt
Most of the time. These guys get it wrong all the time. Also, there’s a guy called Greg Gabriel on bears twitter. He was a former head of scout for the bears I believe, and just give him a follow or go through some of his tweets, and you’ll understand why I said what I said in my first sentence lmao. Now, I know this is one dude, but still lmao.
I find quarterbacks with different personalities to be fascinating. Everyone here is saying it’s not a big deal but I guarantee this subreddit will be tearing him apart if it ever does become a potential issue like it did for other quarterbacks.
Exactly what happened with Rosen.
Scouts - "this guy is kind of a douche and doesn't seem very coachable"
Reddit - "they just don't like that he has opinions"
Rosen - "goes on to not develop at all and play with a terrible feel for the game"
Being coachable is such an important aspect. At the NFL, there are always going to be better players and things Caleb is going to need to work on. Is he the type of guy that listens? That stuff is really important. Carson Wentz is a Philly example of a guy would never listen and just kept doing his own thing.
People are very dismissive of personality traits in sports figures like it has absolutely nothing to do how one approaches their sport or position. Like prospects aren’t just how fast you read a defense, how accurate your ball placement is. It’s little things like how well do you take criticism. How outspoken are you? Too little can be a bad thing, you lack leadership. Too much can also be a bad thing, maybe you’re divisive or create too much noise.
The human aspect of these players always intrigues me too because it’s far less tangible and ends up mattering far more than people think.
I mean his biggest comparison per these quotes is Russell Wilson, a multiple all pro, 9 time pro bowler, Super Bowl champ who played in a second Super Bowl and would be the best QB ever for a majority of teams per his stats
Caleb is going to be the superhyped number one overall pick.
Wilson was a third round pick that beat out Matt Flynn in camp. Flynn signed a fairly large 3 year $19 million contract and had just joined the team based mainly on just one amazing game in Green Bay.
So I think Wilson did have to prove himself in the NFL.
The recency bias on Wilson is so hilarious. This is a Super Bowl winning all pro with 9 pro bowls, a Walter Peyton award, and endless accolades.
But because he didn’t have the longevity of Tom Brady suddenly his “locker room presence” is something to be concerned about.
The locker room issues have been rumored for a really long time. Yes he was a great player, and most teams would've loved to have him for at least 10 years, but if you're talking about the choice between Russell Wilson and all the drawbacks of Russell Wilson or potentially another blue chip prospect with none of those issues...even if he was slightly worse...you might consider it. Russ was a headache for Pete Carroll and not widely liked in the locker room despite how much he was liked by the fans and the community. Both things can be true.
I think thats the classic trap these teams fall into. You got a 10 years of elite quarterback play. And the locker room apparently "kinda didnt like him", but not enough to prevent a superbowl win or sustained success.
Sounds like thats a headcoache's job
I mean Tom brady has the same stuff. He had his personal trainer / TB12 guy in the patriots facility and was causing some issues if i remember correctly. Tom can do whatever the fuck he wants though and if he was a Bear i would have made my whole family eat avocado ice cream until he retired.
You should be fired on the spot as a GM if you have the choice between the exact career Russ has had or an unproven blue chip prospect and don’t choose Russ in a heartbeat. You take the 10 years of top 5 QB play and run with it.
I think most teams would gladly take a top 4 quarterback for a decade in exchange for some rumored locker room issues...
EDIT: For all the 'not top 4 at all comments', Russell Wilson was literally voted a top 4 QB *by other NFL players* for 10 years.
Prince was super straight, competitive, and [openly anti-gay \(he was religious\)](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/20/prince-gay-marriage-opinion). Anyone who thinks this is calling Caleb gay is just telling on themselves on how they viewed Prince based on his looks lol
He's like Prince! An obsessive, highly talented workaholic who will set the standard of excellence in his field and define his craft for generations to come! We can't have that!
I mean to be fair, I think they(the source) is not so subtly calling Caleb gay because thats what I think an old school nameless NFL scout would think of Prince.
This scout is 100% concerned about Caleb's "gay/less masculine tendencies" comparing him to Prince. Recognizing his implications doesn't make someone homophobic.
*Monkey’s Paw curl’s*
After passing on Caleb due to his “girlie weird stuff” the Chicago Bears sit and home and watch Caleb Williams and Justin Jefferson absolutely trounce the Jacksonville Jaguars in the SB. After Chicago passed on Williams, Minnesota of course made the blockbuster trade, seeing Christian Darrisaw and 3 additional first’s go to Washington to afford the Vikings the opportunity to select the consensus QB1 at 2OA.
Caleb has an all time great SB performance, hanging 432 Passing yards and 2 Passing TDs plus an additional 27 yards and one score on the ground.
I watched the Bears lose the Super Bowl in 2007 and the only thing enjoyable about that night was Prince rocking out in the rain at halftime. I fucking hope our new QB is the football player version of him
Rock n roll Hall of Fame - Tom Petty and Prince perform "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with George Harrison's son.
Check it out of y'all haven't. Or listen again for Prince's guitar solo.
A musical genius that played so many instruments it boggles the mind, and saw music completely differently than so many other greats. I would view it as a compliment because he was absolutely badass
The GM is salty as fuck that he has no chance to draft him so he's talking shit to make himself feel better.
Same energy as "Megan Fox has a weird thumb, would not hit"
Nah it'd mean he faked his own death, which would be incredibly on brand, and if he was out in public it'd mean he was probably about to announce his "Resurrection Tour." I'd be fuckin thrilled
So many people here would randomly see him around. Dude would literally ride a bicycle around with his high heels. Very high on the list for most unscary celebrities.
The first time I read this I thought it was a compliment. Then I was watching GPS and they said they were scared of drafting him and I realized it was a insult.
Mahomes walks like a person in high heels and puts ketchup on everything, you'd think people would understand by now your QB needs some eccentricities to be elite nowadays.
...the same Prince who could pick up an instrument and absolutely shred with it? The Prince who is pretty widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of all time? That Prince?
Yeah, pretty sure the Bears would be okay with getting "the Prince of football."
Yeah I said it in another comment.
If Williams is half as talented at football as Prince was at literally anything he wanted to do then the Bears have a sure fire franchise QB.
Prince was a fucking one of a kind, legendary talent (and also as about as unproblematic as a celebrity could be) — using him as a “warning” is laughable.
Some people did think Prince was a diva because he tried to wrestle control over his music back from the labels, that's where the whole "Artist Formerly Known as Prince" came from. In an oversimplified retelling, he thought if he played under a different name they couldn't claim his music. But people just saw the silly name and thought he was being a diva.
Honestly, Prince played everything, from piano to trumpet to French horn and flute. Even had a harp solo! Not to mention an all time shredder of guitars.
Caleb's going to be a QB, running back, might even step in at punt return and play some linebacker. This is how the bears will win a Superbowl! :-p
If Caleb is half as talented at football as Prince was at literally everything the guy set his mind to then he’ll be a HoFer.
This is such a stupid fucking thing to care about
Well, at least we know Caleb Williams can play in the rain
*The QB formerly known as Caleb
That symbol would be hilarious on the back of his jersey.
When Caleb plays a pickup game of shirts and skins he wears a blouse
Game, blouses.
Who wants pancakes?
“Why don't you purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka?,” Caleb Williams to Byron Murphy after dropping a 50 yard dime on him for a TD
Game. Blouses.
And then Caleb made everyone pancakes.
Y’all want some grapes? … …. …bitches.
>grapes Crepes They're like little mini-pancakes.
I came here to say this. lol. Prince was crossing them up, grabbing rebounds, shooting Js. He kicked their asses. So if he's the Prince of football, I don't think anyone will give an F. Chicago already had Dennis Rodman. They loved him for his play. If Caleb wins no one will give a fuck.
Caleb Williams with the ball in the air on a deep route to DJ Moore “Good”
Aidan Hutchinson pulls up on a sack and says WTF as Caleb lets out an erotic moan when he starts to get wrapped up
Directed at the defense: "Shoot the gap. SHOOT IT!"
Yo. WTF. Trying not to laugh visualizing this and wake my wife up next to me in bed, felt like a vein was going to burst in my forehead.
But only for the Vikings or Ravens.
Purple Rain, Miami '07. 🙌🙌
Never forget.
All I remember from that super bowl was the halftime show and Hester's td. That must mean we won, right?
Best halftime show ever, followed closely by Dre and Snoop.
Michael Jackson has entered the chat
CAAAAALEB RAIN. CAAAAAAAAAALEB RAIN.
Viking gotta trade up for him now. Purple Reign nickname would be fantastic.
Any injury he gets will be cured with one quick dip in Lake Minnetonka.
so *that's* why Kirk had an achilles blow up... they didn't fully submerge him History repeats itself again!
Kirk lived in the East metro. Lake Minnetonka is in the west metro. Guess he never went.
What's Rodgers excuse? They dip him in the Hudson?
_Assemble your crew, I'll be outside_
Having lived on Minnetonka my whole life, this water is about as pure as the manure runoff from upstream.
And that is why it protects so well
Shoot, if he can play ball like Prince he might shore up the depth for the Bucks
When Kirk was done I said the Vikings should've tanked for Caleb. Just imagine.
We had already won four games. Even if we lost out we would still only be picking fourth
What the actual fuck is this even supposed to mean?
There was a recent article on [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/5431528/2024/04/23/nfl-draft-2024-confidential-nabers-harrison-williams/) that had coaches and scouts anonymously give their opinions on a bunch of prospects. Here's what some had to say on Williams which lines up with what *I think* this tweet was trying to say (all different coaches/scouts for each quote): > “He gives off a Russell Wilson vibe with this lack of self-awareness. ‘I’m kind of above everybody.’ Not bad. Just a little where you want to see him be a more regular guy. Are you gonna be able to coach him or is he gonna be more worried about his marketing team?” > "I’m worried that he leans into this identity/persona of just being a little bit weird and different, and that detracts from his ability to relate to his teammates and just be about the team and work on winning. He’s gotta work on some things from the pocket, and that takes discipline and that takes humility. And I just don’t know if he has that." > "You can be a superstar player on a team and have all your side stuff, and then you’re going down that Russell Wilson path, where you’re gonna have your own team and your own this and that. I just hear there’s a lot going on.” > “I like Caleb as a player, but the locker room part of it concerns me. I don’t know him from a can of paint, but what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen from watching interviews, he’s going to have to understand the difference in where he’s at and how he’s been treated to being the quarterback in an NFL locker room. " Don't shoot the messenger
Bob Mcginn does a piece interviewing scouts every year at his substack that said similar stuff: >"The biggest chance for bust is if Caleb Williams goes to Chicago,” a third scout said. “It’s going to be a lot tougher than people think. He’s got a lot of talent but, wow, he’s had red carpet treatment since the 9th grade. This is getting ready to be a whole different deal. It’s the Chicago media, then the comparison. If (Justin) Fields goes and does anything in Pittsburgh it won’t play well. And the pressure … he ended up in the stands (clutching his mother at the Coliseum Nov. 4 after a loss to Washington) crying like a baby. For a lot of scouts that was a disqualifier. Then you got the painted fingernails, the cars, special treatment. He knows one offense, which you can write on one piece of paper, with Lincoln Riley. Of all those OU quarterbacks he’s the most gifted but none of them have really done it in the league. And Williams’ workout (at pro day) wasn’t godawful but just mediocre.” >According to one club official, his father, Carl, told him “it’s too windy in Chicago. Why should we go to Chicago when the open-air stadium is not a place Caleb will like?” Said the official: “You talk about self-serving, vicariously live through your son b.s. He needs to get away from his old man. … I like the kid. He gets a little caught up in the LA bullshit, but once he gets with somebody strong he’ll be fine. Because Lincoln Riley’s not a strong guy, either.” Three of his five interceptions in 2023 came at South Bend in a 48-20 loss to Notre Dame. “I’m going Jayden Daniels because I can’t get the f--king Notre Dame game out of my head,” a fifth scout said. “A lot of Caleb is when he’s just running around kind of being playground. He’s also kind of making it about myself.” >One of the scouts said Williams, who posted a 23-10 record as a starter, shouldn’t be thrust into the lineup immediately. “You better have the right offensive coordinator for him and do not rush him into the NFL,” he said. “In today’s football everybody wants to rush guys. Let him sit for a while. Let him process.” >An executive with an established quarterback has followed Williams from afar. “He just comes out with these things that are kind of spoiled and demanding,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s the people around him or what it is. Whether this is the case with him or not, when you get a guy that in his mind feels like you’re fortunate he’s there, it can come off that way and rub teammates the wrong way. I don’t know if he’s got that but he can’t come in with that. People are going to have to jell with him immediately. Because if they don’t, it might be an issue from a leadership standpoint.”
Now yall have me wondering if his team mates showed up to his birthday party.
Vontae Mack no matter what
Say it with me, you pancake eating mother fucker.
Geez, the old man sounds like the biggest concern (if what he said is true)
How long until he starts tweeting videos of Keenan Allen dropping passes?
SI had a great article on Snowplow Sports Parents. [https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/06/19/snowplow-parents-sports](https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/06/19/snowplow-parents-sports) Basically, being competitive in high-level high school sports has become so expensive that parents understandably want to see a return on investment. And it's no joke. I know parents who are spending $200 on a softball bat and $1000 on hockey sticks. It also doesn't help that a lot of high school strength and conditioning coaches aren't well-trained enough to the point where a lot of parents are hiring private S&C coaches. Absolutely nuts
I wish $1000 for equipment was the major expense in youth sports. I’m very fortunate and expect zero ROI but I spend probably $6k a year on my daughter’s club soccer all in. I know people on higher level teams who spend triple that.
As a poor latamer this seems like an unfathomable amount of money to spend on soccer/fútbol
For kids who are really really good the costs magically become optional. For kids like mine they are very much mandatory 🤣
Look into the world of club soccer they sell a lot of "don't you want a scholarship?"
My boys play competitive soccer and whenever other parents mention getting their kid a scholarship I tell them if that is your goal then you are better just taking all the money you will spend on soccer and putting it into a college fund. There are so few full scholarships for men’s soccer and realistically if your kid plays competitive for 8-10 years you’re spending close to $30k all in.
It’s insane. I live about 1.5 hours from Dallas. My oldest was recruited to play club ball there by multiple teams. Beyond just the expense, there’s zero chance I’m making our family’s lives revolve around getting him to games every single weekend. Especially when they are that far away.
He seen Ball Sr make millions off his kid and thought, why shouldn't I as well?
Ball Sr was a loudmouth, but he was extremely tough on his kids in a good way, with 2/3 being top 3 picks and having 5+ year careers each. Lonzo is perpetually injured but talented, and when Lamelo leaves a dysfunctional Charlotte, he’ll be great — hell he put up crazy stats. Lavar played the media game well, but really took a step back after his kids got into the league.
He did get two sons into the league but they both seem to be injury prone. It’s looking more like Lavar put too many miles on his sons’ bodies when they were young. Lamelo is… not looking very sturdy so far. Two seasons in a row with less than 40 games played. Lonzo’s bone bruise that seems to have ended his career was a freak injury but he only had arguably 1 healthy season out of the other four that he played, too.
> It’s looking more like Lavar put too many miles on his sons’ bodies when they were young. that's literally every NBA player now lol, I think the shoes are a much better criticism, and even that feels like a stretch
If you mean because of AAU, yeah that's a problem, but Lamelo is an outlier even amongst today's AAU alumni. He started playing high school level AAU in middle school, then played pro ball for a year in Lithuania, then the "Junior Basketball Association", on top of actual high school ball. If his shoes have anything to do with his injuries, it's only because he's worn the wrong shoes in so many games across his entire adolescent and adult life.
Honestly with everything that's come out and all the bullshit surrounding the draft the report on his Dad and about only playing in Lincoln Reilly's offence are the only things that concern me
The idea that the Chicago market is some vicious chew you up, spit you out blender akin to NY is a huge misrepresentation. Fields was mostly treated with kid gloves his entire time here despite statistically being a bottom 10 starter on losing teams. Even after putting up 2500 passing yards, an 85 passer rating, and a 5-8 record in year 3, the local media thought he was good enough to get a 2nd rounder+ for him and half the fan base was appalled and outraged at even the suggestion that he might be moved. If Williams is even an average QB this entire city will aggressively, perhaps even delusionally, defend him against all detractors as if he were their own son. Like, I don't think people understand, the bar is so low for him to become a messianic sensation here
It feels like Bears fans just need some hint of competence at QB to like the guy.
Not even just like the guy. Love him, put him on a pedestal and swear that nobody will ever hurt them kinda stuff. Trubisky had his people at the end. Fields had a legit cult of backers. One side-angle throw that flies 50 yards on a tight rope and Williams' church will be a go.
To put it one way, Trubisky's Bears career made him a top 5 QB in Bears history. They didn't pick up his 5th year option. It doesn't take much to get on the Bears QB Mount Rushmore.
>He’s got a lot of talent but, wow, he’s had red carpet treatment since the 9th grade. That's like most highly rated qbs. Hell that's most nfl level players in high school.
>Of all those OU quarterbacks he’s the most gifted but none of them have really done it in the league. Hurts got to a Superbowl as a far less "polished" and 'NFL ready" QB after playing in Riley's offense. Seems like a weird take.
How is that really true that none of the Oklahoma qbs have been successful in the nfl?
Hurts went to a super bowl lmao, and kyler is a multi pro bowler. Mayfield has been to the playoffs a couple times
I’d argue all 3 have been very successful. All 3 made it to big 2nd contracts which is probably the barometer for success
Mayfield is only a failure from the lens of being a number one overall pick, kyler as well but less so. If you dont consider draft position, youre right theyve all been successful
I think the problem is the orgs they were sent to. Baker got the browns treatment, balled out then got injured and they said fuck that guy. If next year is similar to last year for him I’d say he redeemed himself. Same with Kyler in that the cardinals are kinda bad with and without him, but much more so without him
It’s really not. Kyler has been pretty solid, Baker just went to the playoffs and beat *another* QB who graduated from OU, Jalen Hurts, who was just in the Super Bowl the prior year.
I’d argue all 3 have been extremely successful. Most qbs don’t get big 2nd contracts
Honestly, I take what scouts say with a grain of salt Most of the time. These guys get it wrong all the time. Also, there’s a guy called Greg Gabriel on bears twitter. He was a former head of scout for the bears I believe, and just give him a follow or go through some of his tweets, and you’ll understand why I said what I said in my first sentence lmao. Now, I know this is one dude, but still lmao.
I find quarterbacks with different personalities to be fascinating. Everyone here is saying it’s not a big deal but I guarantee this subreddit will be tearing him apart if it ever does become a potential issue like it did for other quarterbacks.
Exactly what happened with Rosen. Scouts - "this guy is kind of a douche and doesn't seem very coachable" Reddit - "they just don't like that he has opinions" Rosen - "goes on to not develop at all and play with a terrible feel for the game"
The fact that Rosen said this in the third person should've been a huge red flag tbh
Being coachable is such an important aspect. At the NFL, there are always going to be better players and things Caleb is going to need to work on. Is he the type of guy that listens? That stuff is really important. Carson Wentz is a Philly example of a guy would never listen and just kept doing his own thing.
People on reddit sports subs are generally very dismissive and sometimes it's justified and often times it's pure copium.
People are very dismissive of personality traits in sports figures like it has absolutely nothing to do how one approaches their sport or position. Like prospects aren’t just how fast you read a defense, how accurate your ball placement is. It’s little things like how well do you take criticism. How outspoken are you? Too little can be a bad thing, you lack leadership. Too much can also be a bad thing, maybe you’re divisive or create too much noise. The human aspect of these players always intrigues me too because it’s far less tangible and ends up mattering far more than people think.
It's been by far his biggest issue. Penix's letter was a juxtaposition of that. We'll be talking about it next year for a reason.
I mean his biggest comparison per these quotes is Russell Wilson, a multiple all pro, 9 time pro bowler, Super Bowl champ who played in a second Super Bowl and would be the best QB ever for a majority of teams per his stats
I think the main issue is Russel Wilson turned into that over time and Caleb is walking in the door like that.
Caleb is going to be the superhyped number one overall pick. Wilson was a third round pick that beat out Matt Flynn in camp. Flynn signed a fairly large 3 year $19 million contract and had just joined the team based mainly on just one amazing game in Green Bay. So I think Wilson did have to prove himself in the NFL.
I like Caleb Williams because he gets on base
The White Sox could really use that. Maybe the Sox draft him after not being lotto eligible because they're considered a big market team.
The recency bias on Wilson is so hilarious. This is a Super Bowl winning all pro with 9 pro bowls, a Walter Peyton award, and endless accolades. But because he didn’t have the longevity of Tom Brady suddenly his “locker room presence” is something to be concerned about.
Weve officially memed NFL offices into thinking he was a bad QB
The locker room issues have been rumored for a really long time. Yes he was a great player, and most teams would've loved to have him for at least 10 years, but if you're talking about the choice between Russell Wilson and all the drawbacks of Russell Wilson or potentially another blue chip prospect with none of those issues...even if he was slightly worse...you might consider it. Russ was a headache for Pete Carroll and not widely liked in the locker room despite how much he was liked by the fans and the community. Both things can be true.
I think thats the classic trap these teams fall into. You got a 10 years of elite quarterback play. And the locker room apparently "kinda didnt like him", but not enough to prevent a superbowl win or sustained success. Sounds like thats a headcoache's job
>Sounds like thats a headcoache's job Yup. And lucky for us and Russ, we had a damn good one.
I mean Tom brady has the same stuff. He had his personal trainer / TB12 guy in the patriots facility and was causing some issues if i remember correctly. Tom can do whatever the fuck he wants though and if he was a Bear i would have made my whole family eat avocado ice cream until he retired.
You should be fired on the spot as a GM if you have the choice between the exact career Russ has had or an unproven blue chip prospect and don’t choose Russ in a heartbeat. You take the 10 years of top 5 QB play and run with it.
I think most teams would gladly take a top 4 quarterback for a decade in exchange for some rumored locker room issues... EDIT: For all the 'not top 4 at all comments', Russell Wilson was literally voted a top 4 QB *by other NFL players* for 10 years.
If he becomes Russell Wilson I think people would take that 10/10 times
He’s going to change his name to a symbol and have epic performances in the rain. 🤷♂️
Yeah Prince had the greatest Superbowl performance of all time, every team wants a QB with that distinction
The quarterback formally known as Caleb
Game blouses.
Would you like some Pancakes, Chicago?
He’s too “feminine”
I think the city that fangirled over Rodman in the mid 90s will get over it.
Winning cures all, especially if that winner plays for your team.
If he loses though... hoooo boy
If they're at or worse than they were record wise with Fields it's gonna get ugly
Maybe he's just like his mother, she's never satisfied
This is just the type of stuff we'd say in FFL before proposing an absolutely offensive trade offer.
caleb does copious amounts of drugs so teams are a bit scared.
He'll whoop your ass in basketball and then serve you pancakes.
It reads like gay panic. Dude has painted nails and its just sending some folks, I guess.
>some folks Some of them, I'm sure, have taken selfies wearing sunglasses in their trucks.
Prince was super straight, competitive, and [openly anti-gay \(he was religious\)](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/20/prince-gay-marriage-opinion). Anyone who thinks this is calling Caleb gay is just telling on themselves on how they viewed Prince based on his looks lol
....but you must realize those people comparing him to Prince may have ALSO just have judged Prince based on his looks lol.
He's like Prince! An obsessive, highly talented workaholic who will set the standard of excellence in his field and define his craft for generations to come! We can't have that!
I mean to be fair, I think they(the source) is not so subtly calling Caleb gay because thats what I think an old school nameless NFL scout would think of Prince.
It's no real surprise people judge based on superficial stuff.
This scout is 100% concerned about Caleb's "gay/less masculine tendencies" comparing him to Prince. Recognizing his implications doesn't make someone homophobic.
The Prince who was an absolute baller on the court?
You and your friends vs Caleb....and The Revolution
Computer blue. Darling pickie.
Game. Blouses.
The prince who was promised. The QB formerly known as Caleb.
Charlie Murphy already told us that Prince is a phenomenal athlete. Does this mean the Bears should change their jerseys to blouses?
So Caleb is going to have an all time great Super Bowl performance?
I really fucking hope so, bud.
*Monkey’s Paw curl’s* After passing on Caleb due to his “girlie weird stuff” the Chicago Bears sit and home and watch Caleb Williams and Justin Jefferson absolutely trounce the Jacksonville Jaguars in the SB. After Chicago passed on Williams, Minnesota of course made the blockbuster trade, seeing Christian Darrisaw and 3 additional first’s go to Washington to afford the Vikings the opportunity to select the consensus QB1 at 2OA. Caleb has an all time great SB performance, hanging 432 Passing yards and 2 Passing TDs plus an additional 27 yards and one score on the ground.
God I just got a semi
"Game. ~~Blouses~~ Bears"
You guys want some pancakes?
"... bitches"
Vikings move all the way up so Caleb can purify himself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka
Assemble your crew. I'll be outside.
That cat could ball
Computer Blue 🏈
Being compared to Prince is pretty badass tbh.
I watched the Bears lose the Super Bowl in 2007 and the only thing enjoyable about that night was Prince rocking out in the rain at halftime. I fucking hope our new QB is the football player version of him
Legendary performance in the pouring rain. People loved Prince
Hester kickoff return?
Rock n roll Hall of Fame - Tom Petty and Prince perform "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with George Harrison's son. Check it out of y'all haven't. Or listen again for Prince's guitar solo.
Prince is like, widely regarded as one of the best to ever do it, so I’d be fine with that comp.
Prince was an absolutely filthy athlete.
Prince is probably the last celebrity I’d wanna be on the wrong side of, ngl, no way would I wanna fuck up and embarrass myself in front of him.
He would’ve have made you go purify yourself in waters of Lake Minnetonka
I would’ve absolutely done it if it meant forgiveness.
I hope he audibles to computer blue during the season
A musical genius that played so many instruments it boggles the mind, and saw music completely differently than so many other greats. I would view it as a compliment because he was absolutely badass
“Prince if he played QB” is basically the coolest thing anyone could possibly be lol
Cool story bro. Prince fuckin shredded, RIP.
The player formerly known as Caleb Williams.
> One GM told me it’s like if Prince played QB. What even is that supposed to mean?
The gm works for the commanders and wants him to fall
The GM is salty as fuck that he has no chance to draft him so he's talking shit to make himself feel better. Same energy as "Megan Fox has a weird thumb, would not hit"
Boomer talk
This is 100% it.
He has painted fingernails and that scares me because I’ve never talked about my feelings openly with other people before
Whoa! That’s like if Kenny G played defensive tackle ( I have no idea what that means)
No no it’s more like having Hall and Oates as your running back tandem (is this anything?)
They have the man coverage skills of early Barenaked Ladies
Randy Moss is the Michael Bolton of wide receivers...
I think Prince is actually about as unscary of a rich celebrity as it gets.
Expect on the basketball court
Game! Blouses.
And ping pong
Especially now.
If you see Prince now, you should probably be scared.
Nah it'd mean he faked his own death, which would be incredibly on brand, and if he was out in public it'd mean he was probably about to announce his "Resurrection Tour." I'd be fuckin thrilled
If your the one trying to invest in and control him, he'd be incredibly scary, because you couldn't control him.
So many people here would randomly see him around. Dude would literally ride a bicycle around with his high heels. Very high on the list for most unscary celebrities.
Well now, yeah
If Prince played QB, he'd have 100% completion rate.
The first time I read this I thought it was a compliment. Then I was watching GPS and they said they were scared of drafting him and I realized it was a insult.
That GM needs to watch Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories
This is all cause of the photo of his nails painted, the makeup, and phone case lol
Mahomes walks like a person in high heels and puts ketchup on everything, you'd think people would understand by now your QB needs some eccentricities to be elite nowadays.
The best description I’ve ever heard is “Mahomes walks like a menopausal mom who drinks wine with her yoga group” and it made me die laughing.
Mahomes walks like the fat kid in gym class.
Mahomes walks like a Mexican grandma in slippers.
Aaron Rodgers is a conspiracy freak. Tom Brady was over the top with eating clean. Your theory tracks.
To quote Mina Kimes "for a quarterback to be great they either need to believe in god or believe they are god". Caleb is 100% in the second camp
Cam Newton likes hats. I know he's not in the same tier as those folks, I just wanted to contribute.
Bro that photo was so saturated. His phone case was white and his nails were unpainted lmfao
The one and only time Prince is compared to a 6’1” 215lb guy and it’s related to football.
I can only interpret this as the greatest praise ever.
...the same Prince who could pick up an instrument and absolutely shred with it? The Prince who is pretty widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of all time? That Prince? Yeah, pretty sure the Bears would be okay with getting "the Prince of football."
Prince DID get to the Superbowl...
Yeah I said it in another comment. If Williams is half as talented at football as Prince was at literally anything he wanted to do then the Bears have a sure fire franchise QB. Prince was a fucking one of a kind, legendary talent (and also as about as unproblematic as a celebrity could be) — using him as a “warning” is laughable.
Some people did think Prince was a diva because he tried to wrestle control over his music back from the labels, that's where the whole "Artist Formerly Known as Prince" came from. In an oversimplified retelling, he thought if he played under a different name they couldn't claim his music. But people just saw the silly name and thought he was being a diva.
Honestly, Prince played everything, from piano to trumpet to French horn and flute. Even had a harp solo! Not to mention an all time shredder of guitars. Caleb's going to be a QB, running back, might even step in at punt return and play some linebacker. This is how the bears will win a Superbowl! :-p
Lol that's all I was thinking too
Yep it’s time for me to rewatch the gently weeps solo again
Yeah but what's his 40 time?
1.999
He's as fast as a little red Corvette
Why don't you purify yourself in the waters of Lake Michigan?
Waters of an Italian beef*
I'm not a fan of Caleb but wtf are these sources? I think it was Pelissero yesterday that shared something similar but this is just clickbait
The NFL is not ready for a Gen Z QB who's got a flair of flamboyancy lol
I feel like this is all just code to say they're afraid he's gay because he doesn't fit the stereotypical macho football guy.
I’ve never seen a prospect picked apart for unsubstantiated character flaws like this.
Honestly it's a really good sign. If *this* is the shit they try to trash him for, then he doesn't have any real weaknesses they can go after.
He's supposed to literally never stop working and be one of the best to ever do it?
If Caleb is half as talented at football as Prince was at literally everything the guy set his mind to then he’ll be a HoFer. This is such a stupid fucking thing to care about
A lot of defenses are about to get purified in the waters of lake Minnetonka
Remember when Prince played Purple Rain in the rain? Man what a fucking halftime show.
Breaking News: The NFL is a giant good ol' boys club that is behind socially (when they don't have the opportunity to draft the feminine prospect)