As the #1 overall pick in the draft, one would think Caleb Williams has an ego. That is natural. You don’t get to be great in sports without having a certain degree of self-confidence. Being the quarterback would mean his primary interest is having success through the air and carrying the team to success while posting big numbers. Anybody who assumes that would immediately demonstrate they know nothing about Williams. The Chicago Bears‘ new quarterback made that clear in recent comments during his latest presser.
Sure, putting up big numbers is fun. However, it isn’t his top priority. Winning is. If it requires running the ball a ton and only posting 100 yards passing? Fine. If he has to rack up 400 yards? Fine. Whatever it takes.
Such a mentality seems out of character for a quarterback. All of them would love nothing better than to rain footballs on the sky—or at least that is the myth perpetuated. In truth, this mentality from Williams isn’t new to the Bears. Another former quarterback saw the game the exact same way when he arrived almost 20 years ago.
The former 4th round pick out of Purdue was thrust into the starting lineup in 2005 after Rex Grossman broke his leg. His early season was rough, throwing one touchdown and six interceptions in his first three games. Still, he kept plugging away and finished with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions over his next ten games. Chicago went 10-5 during that run, characterized by Orton’s willingness to lean on the running game and do his best to protect the football. It isn’t hard to see why everybody in the locker room grew to love him and why they were upset when he got traded in 2009.
It seems rather fitting (and a little eerie) that Caleb Williams happens to wear the same #18. If he has the talent of a #1 overall pick and the unselfish leadership style Orton did, the Bears couldn’t ask for a better situation to be in. If Orton had Williams’ talent, he would’ve been the best QB the franchise ever had. They probably would’ve won Super Bowl XLI. Alas, the football gods rarely bestow the right mental and physical traits into one person. It is why quarterbacks are so hard to find.
