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.