Bears pin hopes on Williams - meet NFL's next superstar

It was seen arsenic a no-brainer for nan Chicago Bears to prime Caleb Williams pinch nan first prime of nan 2024 NFL Draft - but conscionable who is nan man being pegged arsenic nan saviour of nan squad and nan adjacent large prima of nan sport?

In a word, he's different. Not only pinch his talent connected nan section but pinch his persona disconnected it, and a larger-than-life characteristic is conscionable what is needed to move astir this flagging franchise.

Bears fans dream to beryllium looking backmost astatine this prime successful years to travel arsenic nan turning constituent for a squad without a Super Bowl since nan celebrated 1985 season, without a play-off triumph since 2010 and without overmuch dream astatine each since then.

There person been mendacious dawns and adjacent misses but nan Bears, nan second-oldest squad successful nan NFL pinch 9 wide championships, person ne'er had a prima backmost successful modern times.

Now their dreams remainder pinch a 22-year-old who successful assemblage shot could do conscionable astir thing - and each eyes will beryllium connected him travel nan commencement of nan play successful September.

Starting pinch Oklahoma, Williams transferred to nan University of Southern California (USC) and easy won nan Heisman Trophy arsenic assemblage football's champion subordinate successful his first twelvemonth astatine USC successful 2022.

The squad struggled much past year, but Williams still shone done arsenic not only 1 of nan champion dual-threat quarterbacks but besides 1 that conscionable does not springiness nan shot away.

Williams totalled 10,082 passing yards and 93 touchdowns successful his 3 years astatine assemblage - throwing conscionable 14 interceptions - on pinch 960 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns connected nan ground.

Throw successful nan truth Williams tin widen plays and propulsion conscionable arsenic good while scrambling arsenic successful nan pouch - deliberation Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers connected nan tally - and he had NFL talent evaluators salivating astatine his skillset.

In important 3rd and 4th down situations he took his crippled to an elite level, going 199 passes without an interception, while successful nan reddish area he threw 46 touchdowns and gave nan shot distant conscionable once.

"One of nan astir talented quarterbacks I've ever evaluated," said erstwhile NFL backmost and now TV expert Chris Simms., external "One of nan top throwers successful assemblage shot history."

Williams is 1 of nan astir marketable sports stars successful nan USA - without moreover playing successful nan NFL yet. Even successful assemblage he reportedly earned up to $10m (£8m), external successful endorsement deals.

Always 1 to do it his way, he has his ain style - specified arsenic his pinkish telephone lawsuit and painted fingernails while watching nan women's NCAA hoops tournament.

A video of Williams crying pinch his mother aft USC mislaid to Washington past twelvemonth besides went viral - thing he later utilized arsenic portion of his defense for intelligence health.

"I springiness my each connected each azygous play, each chance that I get. I've been an advocator for intelligence health, show your emotions and definitive yourself," Williams said connected societal media successful response.

And existent to his word, Williams has his ain instauration called Caleb Cares, external, which focuses connected intelligence health, anti-bullying and younker empowerment.

He is nan first existent millionaire assemblage prima to participate nan NFL, which immoderate opportunity intends he will not person nan aforesaid hunger - but he has shown really passionate he tin beryllium and seems definite to springiness everything he has to bring occurrence to nan Chicago Bears.

For sleeping elephantine publication hibernating Bears. The 105-year-old squad is 1 of conscionable 2 original NFL sides still successful beingness but they person been starved of caller success.

The Bears person won 9 NFL Championships - though conscionable 1 of those was a Super Bowl - person won nan second-highest number of games successful NFL history and person nan astir players inducted into nan Hall of Fame.

Only 1 of those was a genuine franchise backmost - and nan truth it was Sid Luckman 85 years agone shows why fans are hopeless for Williams to capable that aching void.

The squad drafted Mitchell Trubisky pinch nan 2nd wide prime successful 2017 - famously passing connected Mahomes - and Justin Fields pinch nan 11th action successful 2021 but neither worked out.

They person gone all-in connected Williams though, arsenic nan only backmost they entertained successful Chicago during nan pre-draft process, and person supplied their caller playmaker pinch receiving targets.

Rome Odunze was selected pinch nan ninth wide draught prime this twelvemonth and seasoned Keenan Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, arrived successful free agency.

Along pinch a caller stadium connected nan way, Chicago could yet person dream for nan early - but a batch rides connected nan talented shoulders of their caller quarterback.