People don’t understand the level of pressure thrust onto Caleb Williams’ shoulders when the Chicago Bears selected him #1 overall in the draft. Most organizations have had at least one franchise quarterback in the Super Bowl era. Not the Bears. They have had an almost uninterrupted stream of mediocrity-to-bad over the past 80 years. Jim McMahon and Jay Cutler were as close as they’ve gotten, but neither lived up to their full potential for different reasons. Williams is the first quarterback Chicago has ever taken atop an entire draft, meaning they got who many believe was the best prospect.
That came with high enough expectations. Throw the franchise’s decades of futility at the position on top of it? You can understand why some fans are clinging to his development like a life raft in a storm. After two quality performances in a row against the Rams and Panthers, some have already declared Williams the Chosen One. One enthusiastic fan had an even more outlandish description, according to NFL Network analyst Kyle Brandt.
“Messiah.”
Upon hearing this, it would’ve been easy for Williams to deflect such an idea, stating he’s just a quarterback trying to do his job. Instead, he used that statement to his advantage.
For those unfamiliar with the story of Dune, it describes a young man who becomes the revered leader of a desert planet called Arrakis as it rebels against an empire. He is eventually viewed as humanity’s savior, destined to lead it out of darkness in the far future. However, none of what he accomplished was possible without a group of strong, loyal supporters. Williams was able to make the connection to himself and the rest of his teammates. He can’t be a “savior” of this franchise without their hard work and sacrifices.
If you were looking for another reminder that this young quarterback is a natural leader, that statement speaks volumes. Remember, this is the guy who threatened to no-show the Heisman ceremony without the presence of his entire offensive line there. He seems to take the team concept seriously. He goes as they go. It is becoming easier to see why the locker room was so quick to embrace Caleb Williams. The guy is incredibly easy to like and respect.
