A famous story once surfaced years ago about the 1998 draft and the juxtaposition between top QB prospects Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. Both were asked what they would do if they went #1 overall. Manning said he planned to get some work in as preparation for the season commenced. Leaf said he’d party in Las Vegas. Nobody gave it a red flag at the time, but in hindsight, it should’ve been. Leaf was a colossal bust and a reminder of how vital a strong work ethic is to success at the quarterback position. That is where Caleb Williams comes in.
When people first get a glimpse of the USC star, they immediately think “Hollywood.” He is more interested in his celebrity status and business interests than playing football. People don’t need a diva like that in the locker room. One person who has come out in defense of Williams is Brett Kollman. The top draft evaluator runs the Bootleg Football podcast and his popular YouTube channel. He’s spent the past few weeks speaking with several people close to Williams, from teammates to coaches and others.
The story he’s gotten back paints a far different picture. People outside the program have no idea what sort of animal Williams is. Kollman said his work ethic is said to rival one of the NBA’s greatest legends.
Caleb Williams doesn’t let celebrity interfere with his craft.
Kobe Bryant was the same way. The limelight of Los Angeles could’ve easily poisoned him during his days with the Lakers. However, he was so obsessed with being great that he forged one of modern pro basketball’s most notorious workout regimens. It included getting up at 4 or 5 a.m. and working for hours on end, both in the weight room and on the practice court. That is a big reason why he became an all-time great with five championship rings and multiple other honors. Michael Jordan was known for being the exact same way.
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Perhaps that is the type of person the Bears need. While he embraces the attention and opportunities that come with his position, Caleb Williams doesn’t let it interfere with his approach to the game. If anything, he almost uses it as fuel. He wants to be regarded as one of the best ever to play. It wasn’t a coincidence when he said he’d like to be mentioned in the same breath as Jordan and Walter Payton were he to end up in Chicago. That is the kind of mentality you want in your quarterback—the “Mamba” mentality, as Bryant fans called it.
