Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams Eyeing New Deal With New Balance?

New Balance is not an up-and-coming brand, however, they are very much new to the specific athlete sponsorships. Should Williams indeed be joining the New Balance team, he’d be the undisputed face of the football division, which has a partnership with Klutch Sports and has also signed former Ohio State Buckeyes All-American and first-round draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr to a deal. Williams would join a bustling group of dominant athletes at the brand. 

Olympic Gold Medalists Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, and Femke Bol lead the way for the track and field athletes. US Open champion Coco Gauff and Olympic Silver Medalist Tommy Paul represent tennis. World Series champion and MVP Shohei Ohtani leads the baseball side. Former NBA Finals MVP and Olympic gold medalist Kawhi Leonard and former National Champion Cameron Brink lead the men's and women’s basketball efforts.

Williams would fit right in with the current crop of young, forward-facing talent that is helping to revitalize the New Balance brand. As NIL becomes more ingrained at the college level, a player like Williams, should he receive a signature cleat, could be the type of star who could help New Balance secure talent away from the traditional powers of the American sports world like Nike and Adidas. 

While nothing is officially confirmed, Williams hasn’t historically operated as a man who does things on a whim. A new deal could be under negotiation with other brands, and driving up the price of that deal by using New Balance or Williams could be signaling that something more concrete with New Balance is soon to come. The possibilities vary, but the cultural fit between Williams and New Balance feels appropriate for the times. As the offseason continues, Williams' choice of cleats and apparel will continue to be monitored.