Coach Has Blunt Response On Why Caleb Williams Will Handle Chicago
GM Ryan Poles knew what he needed when the off-season opened. Yes, the Chicago Bears wanted to reset at quarterback. However, it wasn’t that simple. Finding another talented player with a strong, accurate arm isn’t difficult. There have been plenty of those types over the years. The core issue for this organization has been finding somebody who can play in this city. Chicago is one of the largest media markets in the world. It is also a ravenous sports town with passionate, outspoken fans. They will eat players alive if they don’t live up to expectations. You must be mentally tough to handle such circumstances. Mitch Trubisky couldn’t handle it. Justin Fields couldn’t handle it. What made the Bears think Caleb Williams could?
After all, this young man cried in his mother’s arms after a gutwrenching loss to Utah, ending their national championship hopes. That doesn’t come across as mental toughness. Many wondered if Poles had been fooled during the pre-draft process. However, the Bears GM saw things differently. He’d watched several games during the evaluation. What he saw was a young man willing to battle through adversity without losing his composure. Just because he hated losing wasn’t a cause for concern. Perhaps Williams’ passing game coordinator said it best, according to Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.
L.A. is probably the largest media market, so he’s had a little bit of practice with it. It’s the L.A. market. People say they want to come and play and want to be on the biggest stage. This was the biggest stage. It’s like, “All right. You asked for it. Here it is.”
Caleb Williams is no stranger to demanding fans.
USC has one of the largest and most passionate fanbases in college football. It also has a deep and storied quarterback legacy. Matt Leinart won two national championships and a Heisman trophy. Carson Palmer set several passing records and became the #1 overall pick. Mark Sanchez won back-to-back Rose Bowls. Pat Haden won two national championships. This program is known for standout quarterback play. It’s not like Williams came in with fans understanding it might be an adjustment period. They expected results immediately.
Everybody knows what happened next. Caleb Williams threw 42 touchdowns, won the Heisman, and USC finished 11-3 after going 4-8 the previous year. Safe to say the high pressure of Los Angeles didn’t affect him at all. People expect the same to happen in Chicago. Yes, Williams is aware of the Bears’ history at quarterback. It doesn’t matter. He has no control over what happened in the past. All he knows is it’s his mission to change the story. The organization has done everything in its power to prepare him for the challenge.