Dez Bryant wasn't wrong; he was just early. The former All-Pro wide receiver documented that Caleb Williams would be a game-changer in the NFL well before becoming the Chicago Bears' franchise quarterback.
Let the record show that Bryant was high on Williams -- back in November 2023. The former boldly compared the latter's trajectory from college to the pros to Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes. It was a hot take that drew plenty of criticism, to say the least.
Many were quick to call Bryant crazy. You can still hear the faint echoes of "Williams will never be anything close to Mahomes" coming from the doubters. Well, who's laughing now?
Former All-Pro WR Dez Bryant basks in old Caleb Williams take that continues to age nicely
Roughly two years later, Bryant took to social media to take a victory lap. He even pulled out the receipt, replying to his initial post about Williams, reminding everyone to look at the timestamp:
"Check the date," Bryant wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), followed by a monocle emoji.
Nostradamus, is that you? Bryant declared that Williams can be "that good" if put in the "right system." Fortunately for Bears Nation, first-year head coach Ben Johnson has provided proof of concept.
Williams has been in command of the Bears' offense under Johnson's tutelage and has taken a corresponding sophomore leap. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick already has more passing yards and touchdowns this season with one game remaining than he did as a rookie. Yet that's only the tip of the statistical iceberg, proving Bryant's point.
For whatever it's worth, Bryant's scouting report wasn't entirely accurate. He described Williams' pocket presence and playmaking as "the second coming of Mahomes," though taking sacks and playing through pressure have been issues at times.
Nevertheless, Bryant ostensibly feels good about his stance. He anticipated that Williams' natural talent would translate to success in the league despite not consistently winning in college. Fast forward to the present, and the Bears secured their first NFC North title since 2018 while snapping a four-year playoff drought.
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Yet, at the same time, we hate to break it to you, Dez, but your analysis wasn't necessarily earth-shattering. Williams was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and was widely considered a generational prospect when the Bears selected him.