Regardless of what Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is doing, he is always looking to compete. Find out how he views the 2024 quarterback draft class.
Caleb Williams is a competitor.
That's an obvious statement if you have ever seen the Chicago Bears' quarterback play football. His willingness to extend plays to the absolute last second and drive to win games despite the circumstances are just two of the many ways Williams likes to compete.
That mentality is on full display, regardless of what the 24-year-old is doing. Inside the Bears' locker room last season, there was a basketball hoop, not a regulation 10-foot rim, but enough for members of the team to compete in games like around the world.
Two days before the Bears' matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday, Williams and wide receiver Jahdae Walker teamed up and won eight straight games against whoever challenged them.
It wasn't just winning a game and moving to the next one. Williams and Walker were yelling with excitement, dapping each other up after clutch baskets were made.
Throwing touchdowns in the final moments of close games are cool, but so if sinking the final point on an 8-foot room in the Bears' locker room. That's Williams, though.
A competitor.
The Bears' quarterback joined Travis and Jason Kelce on the latest "New Heights" podcast and, again, his competitive nature was on full display.
Williams was the first of six quarterbacks drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft: Williams (No. 1), Jayden Daniels (No. 2), Drake Maye (No. 3), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8), J.J. McCarthy (No. 10) and Box Nix (No. 12).
Travis asked Williams if he keeps in touch with any of those quarterbacks and is in a group chat with them.
"It's cut throat over here on my side," Williams said. "We gotta play versus each other at some point. We follow each other and things like that on social media. It's no bad blood or anything like that, but every once in a while, you know, like rare blue moon we all reach out at some point throughout the time, but nah, it's not too much communication going on."
In the five games Williams has played the 2024 first-round quarterbacks, he has a 2-3 record, with wins over McCarthy and Daniels. Maye, Daniels and McCarty have secured victories over Williams in those head-to-head matchups.
Williams will have an opportunity to have a winning record against the QB class this upcoming season. Williams will play McCarthy in Weeks 2 and 18 if both quarterbacks are healthy. The Bears will travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons in Week 6. If Penix beats out Tua Tagovaiola for the starting job, the Bears' quarterback will face the No. 8 overall pick for the first time in the NFL. The following week, Williams and Maye will compete on Thursday Night Football at Soldier Field.
Before the Bears are scheduled to play each of those games this season, it wouldn't be surprising if Williams or his 24 quarterback class peers play down the significance of the matchup.
Williams already revealed his true feelings, and as with everything the Bears' quarterback does, he'll come fully prepared to compete. The Bears hold the the NFL's hardest strength of schedule this season, but that doesn't impact Williams in any way.
"We've got a bunch of prime time games," Williams told the Kelce brothers. "It's so-called the hardest schedule. We had the second-hardest last year. We're excited. We don't back down from no challenge, and so we want everybody to know that going to the playoffs, and things like that, is in our future, in our present future and future coming up, and it's going to be a consistent thing for us. ..."
