Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in March.
Michael Conroy/AP
USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears‘ likely No.1 overall draft pick, pushed back against a claim that he’s never had to overcome adversity Tuesday.
Writing on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, Williams posted a video of analyst Greg McElroy telling the “This is Football” podcast that Williams “has never experienced adversity … as far as how he was received and portrayed as the next, best guy.” McIlroy questioned his motivation — “I wonder, is there a sense of entitlement?” he asked — when comparing Williams to Patrick Mahomes, who is still driven by the fact he was picked 10th in 2017.
Let’s go back to school again 😂🤦🏽♂️cause I’m bored rn..
Adversity:
“A state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune.”
Y1. Didn’t start freshman year.
Y2. Popped hammy championship game 1st Q. Lost bc of my hammy.
Y3. 7-5 my last year of college ball. https://t.co/360cZjUGzD
— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) April 9, 2024
Williams responded by saying he was going to take the analyst “back to school” because “I’m bored” right now. He posted the definition of adversity and listed times in which he was faced with it: when he didn’t start to begin his freshman year at Oklahoma, when he hurt his hamstring in the first quarter of the 2022 Pac-12 title game and when he went 7-5 with USC last season.
McElroy, a former national championship-winning quarterback at Alabama, said he still believed Bears general manager Ryan Poles needed to take Williams first overall because of his high ceiling.
“In the event in which you’ve passed on him and he goes on to become the next Mahomes, you’re dead,” he said.
The Bears are expected to pick Williams, who visited Halas Hall last week, first overall later this month.