Caleb Williams standing on sideline during USC game

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Caleb Williams will not be walking into a Hollywood-type situation in Chicago, a future Bears teammate has warned.

The former USC quarterback going to the Bears is now thought to be a foregone conclusion following the NFL North side’s decision to trade Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Williams is used to a high-profile lifestyle and is already a bit of a celebrity despite never having thrown a pass in the NFL. However, Bears veteran Jaylon Johnson has sounded out a warning telling him not to expect such an environment once he gets to Chicago.

“You just humble your stuff coming into the building. You can’t bring that Hollywood stuff into the building, especially with guys who played this game at a high level for consecutive years in the league,” he said. “What you did in college, the Hollywood, it’s like ‘Nah, you gotta prove yourself. That stuff like that doesn’t matter.’ You gotta get to know him too.

“I think there’s a fine line between trying to prove a point to him but also getting to know him. At the end of the day, we want him to be the absolute best he can be. That’s what we’re bringing him in for, to win games. Truly just learning who he is as a person and learning him deeper than just all the Hollywood stuff you see, but actually trying to learn and get to know him and then knowing from there what pushes him.”


Johnson’s reference to Hollywood is based on Williams playing for the Trojans in Southern California, which is very different from Chicago. The city respects blue-collar stars who relish walking into the trenches in grind-it-out games as opposed to the flashy personalities celebrated on the other side of the country.

Caleb Williams Needs Time, Says Jaylon Johnson

Of course, the Bears are going to do all they can to make the transition as easy as they possibly can for Caleb Williams. They have already added one of the best senior wide receivers in the league, pulling off a surprising trade with the Los Angeles Chargers for Keenan Allen.

Meanwhile, Johnson is returning to spearhead the defense after putting pen to paper on a four-year extension worth $76 million. He claims he would be excited to have Williams directing things under center. But he has also advised that fans should be patient with the QB as he’s going to make mistakes and will need to develop further.

“You kinda hear all of the comparisons, the ‘generational talent’ and all that being thrown around. So I think, for me, just excited on that note of it,” he explained. “But I think, too, it’s hard to compare him to Patrick Mahomes and guys like that. Patrick Mahomes didn’t come in right away and do what he’s been doing the last few years in his rookie year. It took him some time.

“Just being patient with his progress, being patient with how he comes in and the mistakes he’s gonna make and the plays that he’s gonna make. He’s a very talented guy. He definitely do some things with his feet, he has plenty of arm talent, I feel like there’s not a throw that he can’t make.”

If Williams’ NFL career gets off to a rocky start, it’ll be interesting to see if the Bears and their fans can follow Johnson’s advice.