CHICAGO, IL – In the whirlwind lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams was widely considered the consensus No. 1 overall pick. While the Chicago Bears held that coveted selection, recent revelations have shed light on a surprising period where Williams and his family explored alternatives, even considering the Minnesota Vikings as a preferred destination. Williams himself has now addressed these reports, clarifying the “thoughts” that circulated before his ultimate commitment to the Bears.
A forthcoming book, “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback” by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, detailed discussions from Williams’ camp about potentially circumventing the draft to avoid Chicago, including exploring a path to the UFL. Williams’ father, Carl Williams, was quoted expressing significant concerns about the Bears’ historical struggles with quarterback development, even reportedly stating, “Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die.”
Caleb Williams admitted that, early in the pre-draft process, he had a “good visit” with the Minnesota Vikings and head coach Kevin O’Connell. “I had a good visit at the other place — Minnesota, with (coach) Kevin O’Connell,” Williams confirmed during a press conference. “Good staff and all of that obviously.” He even told his father at one point that he “needed to go to the Vikings.”
However, Williams emphasized that these were initial “thoughts” and “ideas” during a period of evaluating all possible scenarios. The surprising reason for his eventual shift to fully embrace the Bears came after his official pre-draft visit to Chicago.
“After I came on my visit here, it was a deliberate and determined answer that I had, that I wanted to come here,” Williams stated. He revealed that his decision was driven by a powerful internal motivation: to be the quarterback who helps turn around the struggling franchise. “I wanted to come here and be the guy and be a part and be a reason why the Chicago Bears turn this thing around.”
Despite a rocky rookie season, Williams reiterated his commitment to Chicago. His surprising pre-draft lean towards the Vikings ultimately gave way to a powerful personal ambition to rewrite the Bears’ quarterback narrative, a challenge he now seems fully prepared to embrace.
