Caleb Williams Attempted to Dodge NFL Draft with UFL Consideration Before Chicago Bears Selection, Book Reveals

Quarterback maneuvering during the NFL Draft is nothing new, but fresh revelations suggest this year’s top pick, Caleb Williams, considered extraordinary measures to avoid a future with the Chicago Bears. According to details in Seth Wickersham's upcoming book American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback, Williams and his family engaged legal counsel in hopes of finding a loophole in the league's collective bargaining agreement that would let him steer clear of Chicago.

The hesitation was deep-seated within the Williams family. Caleb’s father, Carl Williams, reportedly voiced strong concerns about the Bears organization, telling Wickersham, "Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die." Factors fueling their apprehension included instability within the franchise, the track record with previous first-round quarterback picks, and doubts over key coaching staff—both head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, both since let go.

Caleb Williams himself expressed doubts about working with the then-current coaching staff. On top of that, after meeting with the Minnesota Vikings, Williams reportedly told his father he "needed" to join the Vikings, even though the chances were slim. For a moment, Williams even mulled skipping the NFL entirely and signing with the United Football League, highlighting just how far his camp was willing to rethink the traditional draft path.

Key concerns cited by the Williams family included:

• Frequent turnover and uncertainty among Bears coaching staff
• The team’s history of struggling to develop first-round quarterbacks
• Lack of clarity about the franchise’s future direction

Despite the trepidation, Williams ultimately entered the NFL draft as expected. After extended conversations with the Bears front office, he was convinced that the team's leadership believed in his potential, and general manager Ryan Poles made it clear they planned to make him their franchise quarterback, no matter what.

Williams wouldn’t become the next Eli Manning or John Elway—both of whom famously orchestrated draft-day trades to avoid certain teams—but circumstances shifted in his favor. By the time the season began, both Eberflus and Waldron had departed, and the Bears brought in Ben Johnson, formerly of the Detroit Lions, to take over as head coach. That news thrilled Williams, who later described feeling "extremely excited" and even let out a yell of joy while driving when he learned of the hire.

Despite facing challenges in his rookie campaign—including being sacked a league-high 68 times—Williams put up respectable numbers:

• 20 touchdowns and six interceptions
• 3,541 passing yards
• 489 rushing yards
• A total of 4,030 yards—the most by a Bears quarterback in a single season

The Bears also moved to support their young quarterback by drafting Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick, aiming to bolster the offense and help protect their investment in Williams at the heart of the franchise's future.

Neither the Bears nor representatives for Williams offered public comment on the revelations. The full account of the family’s behind-the-scenes strategy will be available when Wickersham’s book releases this fall. For now, the saga highlights the high stakes and intense calculations behind every NFL draft—and the enormous pressure placed on young quarterbacks entrusted to revive storied franchises.