NFL Rumors: Caleb Williams Didn't Want To Go To Bears; Reveals Dream Destination

May 16, 2025 ,
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams during 2025 game.

Before Caleb Williams became the face of the Chicago Bears, he did everything he could to avoid wearing navy and orange. 

According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham in his upcoming book American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback, Williams and his father Carl were so concerned about the Bears’ dysfunction that they explored legal avenues to bypass the NFL Draft entirely — even considering a one-year stint in the United Football League.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner reportedly had strong reservations about joining a franchise long associated with quarterback struggles. “Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,” Carl Williams told Wickersham, echoing decades of frustration about the team’s inability to develop talent under center. Caleb, meanwhile, was particularly skeptical of then-offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s system and approach.

Williams Dreamed of Vikings After Combine Meeting

The turning point in Williams’ pre-draft hopes came during the 2024 NFL Combine, where he reportedly hit it off with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. So much so, he told his father: “I need to go to the Vikings.” But any plan to land in Minnesota was ultimately dashed. Bears general manager Ryan Poles told Williams bluntly, “We’re drafting you no matter what.”

Faced with the reality that forcing a trade could backfire, Williams ultimately chose not to wage a public battle. “I wasn’t ready to nuke the city,” he told Wickersham. After visiting Halas Hall, he saw potential for growth and told his dad, “I can do it for this team. I’m going to go to the Bears.”

Dysfunction Marked Williams’ Rookie Season in Chicago

The rookie season that followed largely validated the Williams family's concerns. The Bears endured a 10-game losing streak, fired both head coach Matt Eberflus and Waldron midseason, and left their rookie quarterback to watch film alone — without guidance from the staff. Despite the chaos, Williams finished the year with 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, even while being sacked a league-high 68 times.

Now, with new head coach Ben Johnson in place and a rebuilt offense around him, Williams is optimistic about year two. But as Wickersham’s book reveals, his NFL journey almost took a much different path — one that would have worn purple and gold instead of navy and orange.

Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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