It’s no secret the Chicago Bears have a long, brutal history when it comes to quarterbacks. When your best quarterback played in the 1940s, that’s a problem.
For presumptive No. 1 pick — and potential future Bear — Caleb Williams, he’s not someone who compares himself to other players. But he’s also a fierce competitor who cares about winning above all else.
During his Friday press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine, Williams was asked about Chicago’s lack of great quarterbacks. And he had the perfect response.
“I’m my own player,” Williams said, via Chris Emma. “I tend to like to create history and rewrite history.”
The Bears have had 29 different starting quarterbacks since 2000, where Jay Cutler was the closest thing Chicago had to a franchise quarterback this century. While the hope as Justin Fields would finally break the quarterback curse, that wasn’t the case (and things are trending toward him being traded in the coming weeks).
If drafted, Williams would be the 30th different starting quarterback for the Bears, where he’d be tasked with what others before him have failed to do: Develop into a true franchise quarterback in one of the biggest sports markets.
In an ESPN interview earlier this week, Williams talked about studying Chicago greats Michael Jordan and Walter Payton, where he made it clear he doesn’t want to be just great; he wants to have a lasting impact on the game.
Williams described the opportunity to join an ascending Bears team as “exciting,” especially considering the pieces already in place for a team that just missed the playoffs last season. For Williams, he’s focused on success.
“I don’t play for fame. I don’t play for money. I don’t play for jewels and stuff like that,” Williams said, via Chris Emma. “It’s to go out there and win as many games as possible.”