Caleb Williams made headlines on Thursday as details from Seth Wickersham’s upcoming book, “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback”, were made public. His father, Carl Williams, reportedly claimed that Chicago is where quarterbacks go to die, and allegedly wanted his son to land with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Bears still wound up selecting Williams with the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Deshaun Watson’s quarterback coach claimed that Williams’ situation is further proof of the NFL’s problem with developing quarterbacks.
Watson’s QB Coach Claims Caleb Williams’ Situation Is Not Unique
While there are 32 starting NFL quarterbacks, only a handful are considered elite. On Thursday, Quincy Avery, who serves as Deshaun Watson’s quarterback coach, claimed that the league has a problem with developing players at the position, posting on his X (formerly Twitter) handle:
“Caleb’s situation isn’t all that unique. The NFL doesn’t have a talent issue at the QB position. It has a quarterback development issue.”
He elaborated on his stance with a follow-up comment, stating:
“There are also guys in great situations where I think it will be difficult for them to fail. Penix for example, I don’t think a lot of folks would say ATL is a staff known for development. But I know for sure TJ Yates is preparing him, watching tape with him, giving him a plan.”
According to reports from ESPN, Caleb Williams “was so concerned about being picked by the Chicago Bears in 2024 that he and his family weighed circumventing the entire NFL draft, consulting with lawyers to figure out a way around the league’s collective bargaining agreement while considering signing with the United Football League, details from a forthcoming book reveal.”
Williams reportedly alleged that he was often left to watch film alone without any instruction from the previous coaching staff. The Bears hired Ben Johnson during the offseason and also look to rebuild their offensive line to do a better job of protecting their quarterback.
While he was sacked a league-leading 68 times and they finished just 5-12, Williams had a strong season. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. He completed 62.5% of his pass attempts while adding 489 rushing yards on 81 carries.
Despite his initial concerns about joining the franchise, both Williams and Johnson have expressed their excitement to work together. The head coach revealed that his starting quarterback is very proud to be a member of the organization following the details being published on Thursday.