Like many No. 1 picks before him, Caleb Williams was drafted into dysfunctional situation when the Chicago Bears took him with the first pick in the draft in 2024.
The Bears had talent on the team, but the coaching staff did not do the rookie quarterback any favors when he entered the NFL. A new report from Seth Wickersham's upcoming book American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback revealed that Williams and his dad were so concerned about the Bears' situation that they nearly tried to upend the entire NFL draft so that he wouldn't end up in Chicago. They went as far as meeting with lawyers to see about ways to get around the league's collective bargaining agreement.
Their concerns weren't unfounded. Both head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron were fired during the regular season, and even Bears general manager Ryan Poles admitted this offseason that "steps were skipped" in preparing Williams for his rookie season.
Among the number of coaching oversights was that Williams had no one watching film with him. Wickersham detailed in an excerpt of his book that instead, Williams watched film on his own without any guidance on what to watch or what to take away from the tape.
"No one tells me what to watch," Caleb Williams told his dad, per Wickersham. "I just turn it on."
In contrast, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 pick in Williams's class, received close guidance during his rookie season. Daniels began using virtual reality (VR) simulation at LSU, and the Commanders continued using VR as another tool to help him read defenses and prepare for games. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury went as far as to narrate plays to guide Daniels during his VR training. Daniels went on to have arguably the greatest season by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
Fortunately for Williams, the Bears moved on from both Eberflus and Waldron before his rookie season came to an end. They have since hired Ben Johnson, who's regarded as one of the league's top offensive minds, and will now be tabbed to help Williams fulfill his extraordinary potential.
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