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Bears QB Caleb Williams responds to book controversy
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams may wish he had never spoken with ESPN's Seth Wickersham.
On May 16, ESPN released an excerpt of Wickersham's new book, "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback." It revealed Williams' father, Carl, didn't want him to play for the Bears and considered going to great lengths to ensure he went elsewhere.
This created a firestorm, which Caleb Williams addressed in his Wednesday news conference.
"This whole storm that happened wasn't something that we wanted to happen at this point. We're focused on the present. We're focused on the now," Caleb Williams said. "But for this to come out, it's been a distraction, so coming up here and talking about it and addressing it is important today, and that's what we're here to do."
Per Wickersham, Carl Williams wanted his son to play for the Minnesota Vikings after he clicked with head coach Kevin O'Connell in an interview before the 2024 NFL Draft. Caleb Williams acknowledged he enjoyed his meeting with the NFC North rival but reiterated his commitment to the Bears.
"All that went down, all that was said, I had a good visit at the other place, Minnesota," the QB said. "But something that keeps getting lost, something that keeps not being addressed the way it needs to be is the fact that I went on to that first visit came here [to Chicago], and after I came here, I went back home, talked to my dad, and all the things that were supposed to be these big things that everybody has been talking about recently. One, never happened. They were all thoughts. They were all ideas."
While Caleb Williams insists the book excerpt should no longer be a big deal, it may remain a storyline.
Throughout their history, the Bears have failed to develop QBs. They're the only team in the NFL that has never had a QB throw for 4,000 yards or more in a season. (Caleb Williams had 3,541 passing yards in 17 starts in 2024.)
"Chicago is the place where quarterbacks go to die," Carl Williams told Wickersham (h/t ESPN).
If the 2024 No. 1 overall pick fails to improve under new Bears head coach Ben Johnson, that would reinforce this idea.
Plus, the Bears host the Vikings in Week 1 on Sept. 8 on "Monday Night Football." Don't be surprised if "Monday Night Football" commentators Joe Buck and Troy Aikman mention that Caleb Williams reportedly wanted to play for Minnesota instead during the telecast.
More must-reads:
- Bears QB Caleb Williams throws multiple INTs in horrible practice
- Commanders, Dan Quinn setting the tone on Day 1 of OTAs: 'We are always the hunters'
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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NFL Hall of Famer reveals why he chose to join Deion Sanders' Colorado coaching staff
Marshall Faulk is Colorado's new running backs coach, and the Buffaloes could not ask for someone with better experience for the job. That's, of course, because this is Faulk's first coaching gig. As a player, though, there were few better than the Pro Football Hall of Famer. In 12 seasons in the NFL, he rushed 2,836 times for 12,279 yards and 100 total touchdowns. He was a league MVP, a seven-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champ. Faulk was the real deal, and now he has a chance to pass his experiences on to the running backs at Colorado. For him, it's more than just the opportunity to coach football, though. He gets to coach under Deion Sanders, whom he views as a major difference-maker for the game of football. "You guys know him in a different way than I know him," Faulk said in a recent media availability (h/t On3). "We’ve been friends for many years. We worked together in television. We always talk just about the game and probably more about kids coming up in the game. How do you affect and make sure they come into the game the right way? He’s one of those way makers. When you pay attention to kids that’s gonna leave this program and go to the next level, they’re gonna do it in a certain way and you’re gonna say, 'Wow, they were coached by a guy who understands how to get it done.' I identify with that." Colorado can certainly use Faulk's expertise heading into 2025. There are several players battling for the starting role after Isaiah Augustave transferred to South Carolina. Even then, he was Colorado's leading rusher last season while rushing for just 384 yards and four touchdowns, so it's not like the Buffs have a big gap that they're trying to replace. Dekalon Taylor transferred in from Incarnate Word, where he rushed for 909 yards and nine touchdowns last season, so he'll be a player to watch. Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch, Simeon Price and Charlie Offerdahl are also names to know. Faulk will have his work cut out for him, but he seems excited to make a difference both on and off the field for these young Buffaloes. "So coming here not just to win games on the field, but to win the game off the field, which is to make sure that these young men in life become what they want to become outside of football. They become the father that they want to be, the brother, the husband. Making sure that they do that, that’s the important part. That was attractive," he said.
Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
Angels sign son of Baseball Hall of Famer to minor league deal
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