{"id":699752,"date":"2026-01-23T20:39:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T20:39:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/699752\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T20:39:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T20:39:47","slug":"bear-down-and-meet-caleb-williams-annenberg-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/699752\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Bear Down\u2019 and meet Caleb Williams \u2013 Annenberg Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Trojan and Chicago Bears standout Caleb Williams has been on the rise while consistently making headlines on and off the field. Whether you\u2019re someone who has never heard of him or you\u2019ve been a fan since his Oklahoma days, here are ten things to know about the second-year NFL quarterback.<\/p>\n

He is an advocate for mental health<\/p>\n

Throughout his football career, Williams has used his platform to speak openly about mental health. Just three days after making his USC debut in 2022, he spoke at a mental health panel at Annenberg<\/a> that partnered with the \u201cSeize the Awkward\u201d campaign. There he discussed his own journey with mental health and also touched on how he gives back to the community by working with youth. <\/p>\n

Since the panel, Williams has created his own mental health foundation<\/a> called \u201cCaleb Cares.\u201d The foundation aims to advocate for youth mental health, prevent bullying and empower younger people. <\/p>\n

Nail-s his own look<\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 playmaking isn\u2019t the only thing in the spotlight, as his fingernails have been a constant topic of discussion. He began painting them as a form of expression in homage to his mother Dayna Price, who also used to paint his nails, in his senior year of high school. Now, Williams has used this expression to support other mental health awareness causes, including painting 988 in support of the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. <\/p>\n

Williams was the 2022 Heisman winner <\/p>\n

In 2022, Williams became USC\u2019s eighth Heisman winner during his sophomore season with the Trojans after transferring from Oklahoma<\/a>. Williams had a standout performance that year, throwing for over 4,500 yards and 42 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He also rushed for 10 touchdowns on the season, showcasing the dual-threat skills that have made him so popular in the NFL. In addition to his Heisman, Williams was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and 2022 AP Player of the Year. <\/p>\n

After an up-and-down 2023 season that included USC losses to rivals UCLA and Notre Dame, Williams declared for the 2024 NFL draft, where he would be selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago Bears. He became the third quarterback in Bears\u2019 history to be chosen at No. 1.<\/p>\n

He has broken and continues to break football records <\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 football career has been defined by the countless records he has broken as a player. As a Trojan, he currently holds the single season record for overall offense (4,919 yards) and most touchdowns scored rushing and passing (52).<\/p>\n

In just his second year in the NFL, Williams set the Bears\u2019 single season franchise record for passing yards, throwing for 3,942 yards. This follows an inaugural season in which he set franchise records<\/a> for completions (351), passing yards (3,541) and passing touchdowns (20) by a rookie QB. Williams also holds the Bears\u2019 single game rookie passing record (363 yards) and the league record<\/a> for consecutive passes by a rookie without an interception (354). Did we mention he was the first Bears rookie QB with multiple 300+ yard games?<\/p>\n

He has invested in women\u2019s soccer <\/p>\n

Off the field, Williams has made moves to invest in the future of women\u2019s sports. In October 2025, it was announced that he would be an investor in the NWSL\u2019s newest expansion team<\/a>, the Boston Legacy. Williams joined a group of other athletes who have invested in the team, including USC junior guard JuJu Watkins, Indiana Fever\u2019s Aliyah Boston and former Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman. <\/p>\n

His nickname is the \u2018Ice Man\u2019<\/p>\n

Williams has embraced a few nicknames throughout his career, even naming his dog \u2018Supa\u2019<\/a> after the Superman label he garnered back in high school. These days, Williams is widely regarded as the \u2018Iceman\u2019. Known to have ice in his veins, the nickname comes from his ability to stay calm and composed while under high-pressure situations. It relates to the last-minute playmaking skills that made him a touted NFL prospect, as Williams can extend plays and make passes in late game situations.<\/p>\n

Williams is known for his play-making creativity<\/p>\n

Even when not under pressure, Williams\u2019 play-making ability still shines. As a quarterback, his athleticism and improvisation skills have helped him stand out this season. Most recently, Williams threw a hail mary touchdown pass at the end of the fourth quarter in the divisional round against the Rams to tie the score and keep the Bears\u2019 chances alive. Williams scrambled out of the pocket and threw a 14-yard touchdown<\/a> to Bears\u2019 tight end Cole Kmet, all while on fourth down and just under 30 seconds remaining on the clock.<\/p>\n

However, this creativity is nothing new for Williams. He also made highlight-worthy plays at USC including, a spinning escape for touchdown against ASUin 2023.<\/a> He ran past multiple defenders with a spin move inside the pocket, made a move to his right and threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Brenden Rice. That night, he finished with 322 yards throwing and three touchdowns. <\/p>\n

Family remains an important part of his life <\/p>\n

Williams has openly spoken about how close he is with his parents, often regarding them as his \u201cbest friends\u201d<\/a>. His parents have long supported his football career, with his dad having involvement in creating his pathway to becoming a quarterback. His dad has been acting as his manager since the 2024 NFL draft<\/a> and has given him advice on navigating his football career. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very fortunate to have a father that\u2019s super strong minded, that\u2019s always there, always wants the best for his kid,\u201d Williams said during media availability in May 2025.<\/a> <\/p>\n

He has also been able to lean on his mom both in difficult and happy moments. In his Heisman acceptance speech, he thanked his mom in the speech, referring to her as \u201cthe most important woman in his life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for always being my mom first,\u201d he said. \u201cThe woman behind the scenes, who has a smile on her face and is willing to help others. You\u2019re an inspiration to me in many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the recognition for his mom doesn\u2019t stop there. While his teammates mention their alma maters in this season\u2019s intros, he chose to shout out his mom instead. <\/p>\n

He\u2019s showing support on a Chicago sports tour<\/p>\n

Williams has been embraced by the Chicago sports community, and he\u2019s embraced them back. From adopting the Iceman moniker to leaning into the Bears\u2019 rivalry<\/a> with the Green Bay Packers, Williams has showcased his dedication to Chicago football.<\/p>\n

But his love for the city and their sporting scene doesn\u2019t end at Soldier Field. Whether he\u2019s in season or off the field, Williams has been spotted supporting other Chicago sports. Following the Bears\u2019 loss to the Rams in this year\u2019s divisional playoff round, Williams was seen the next night showing support<\/a> to the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team alongside Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. He has also made several appearances at Chicago Bulls\u2019 games, and was recently gifted his own custom jersey<\/a>. <\/p>\n

He still makes the occasional LA appearance<\/p>\n

Since being drafted into the NFL, Williams has returned back to LA and made appearances at other sporting events. In 2023, he was selected as Los Angeles Football Club\u2019s Honorary Falconer, and handled one of the falcons<\/a> in the pregame Celebration of Flight. That year, he threw the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium to pitcher Bobby Miller; the Dodgers won that game 11-4 over the Los Angeles Angels. Williams also made his return to the LA Coliseum in 2024, where he was honored at USC\u2019s rivalry game against Notre Dame and had his jersey retired.<\/p>\n

Although the Bears\u2019 season ended just short of making history, Williams is quickly building momentum in his early NFL career. Whether he\u2019s breaking records or making an impact off the field, he has shown that he is establishing a role for himself in the future of Chicago football. <\/p>\n

\"CalebWilliams and other contributors to USC’s ‘Seize the Awkward’ panel. (Photo by Louis Chen) (LOUIS CHEN) \"CalebWilliams looks on at USC’s (now defunct) spring football game (April 2023). (Photo by Lauren Nash) \"WilliamsTravis Dye takes the handoff from Williams against Washington, October 2022. (Photo by Tomo Chien) \"WilliamsFacing rival Notre Dame, Williams showcases his dual threat abilities. (Photo by Yufei Hong) \"CalebWilliams shares a postgame embrace with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, September 2023. (Photo by Carly Rieger) \"CalebWilliams scrambles and looks for a play downfield against Washington, October 2022. (Photo by Tomo Chien) \"WilliamsWilliams tries to avoid a tackle from an SJSU defender, August 2023. (Photo by Bryce Dechert) \"AThe then-junior quarterback leading drills at USC football practice, September 2023. (Photo by Jaden Dhaliwal) \"WilliamsWilliams scans the defense against Tulane at the Cotton Bowl, December 2022. (Photo by Carly Rieger) (CRIEGER) \"CalebWilliams on a panel for USC’s ‘Seize the Awkward’ event, September 2022. (Photo by Louis Chen) (LOUIS CHEN) \"WilliamsWilliams touches the Trojan Sword before practice, October 2023. (Photo by Ethan Thai) \"CalebWilliams attempts to escape encroaching UCLA defenders, November 2023. (Photo by Bryce Dechert) \"CalebEscapability and elite playmaking were among Williams’ top talents while with the Trojans. (Photo by Sam Yang) \"CalebWilliams warming up before a game against Arizona State, September 2023. (Photo by Jason Goode) \"CalebWilliams and teammates celebrate against Stanford, September 2023. (Photo by Micah Chow) (Michael Chow) \"WilliamsThe eventual Heisman winner warming up before a matchup against Arizona, October 2022. (Photo by Sam Bitman) \"CalebWilliams loads up to throw against Utah, December 2022. (Photo by Drake Lee)