“It was kind of like ‘wow'”: Caleb Williams shares instant reaction to Justin Fields trade to the Steelers

Caleb Williams entered the 2024 NFL Draft as the presumed No. 1 overall pick. When the Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason, the implications were immediate and profound on the former USC Trojans quarterback. He suddenly thrust himself into the spotlight even more as the Bears possess the No. 1 pick.

Williams shared his initial reaction to the trade in a recent interview with the Pivot Podcast. He described how his phone exploded with messages as the news broke.

“I ended up calling a couple people and was just like, ‘well, we know where their mind and heart is at this instance.’ Let’s prepare and get ready and handle things accordingly and still do our due diligence on the situation,” he said.

The trade caught Williams off guard, especially since he hadn’t completed all his pre-draft meetings and evaluations with the Bears.

“In that moment, it was kind of like ‘wow’ because I didn’t do my top-30 visit yet; they didn’t have my medicals and things like that. They have it all now; it was nothing. And I had a good time on my top 30, but it was interesting right in that moment because it was so unexpected in that instance.”

Williams had only formally met with the Bears at the NFL Combine, but he had a strong sense that he was their preferred choice. Fields’ trade confirmed his suspicions, reaffirming his belief in the Bears’ commitment to him as their future quarterback. He now sees the trade as an opportunity to carve out his own legacy in Chicago, drawing inspiration from Tom Brady and his legendary tenure with the New England Patriots.

Caleb Williams hopes to build a legacy like Tom Brady

Caleb Williams expressed his aspiration to emulate the illustrious career of NFL legend Tom Brady. He articulated his desire to play for a single team for two decades, like Brady’s remarkable tenure with the Patriots and later the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I want to play at one place for 20 years, and chase one guy, No. 12. I want a place that loves ball. That’s all I’ve heard about Chicago so far,” Williams said.

Brady’s legacy in the NFL stands as a testament to unparalleled success and longevity. Spanning 23 seasons with the Patriots and Bucs, the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s dominance on the field remains unparalleled. His enduring impact transcends generations, with even established quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes acknowledging the monumental gap between their achievements and Brady’s illustrious career.

Caleb Williams has indeed determined a tough goal by setting his sights on following in Brady’s footsteps. However, the path to emulating such an iconic figure is laden with challenges.