Throughout the NFL's 100-plus-year existence, the Chicago Bears haven't had as highly touted of a quarterback prospect since Sid Luckman in the 1939 draft where he was drafted No. 2 overall. Until the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears have never selected a quarterback with the No. 1 pick.
Now, Caleb Williams comes in as the first-ever Bears quarterback to earn those honors. The Bears have a plethora of history within the confines of their 100-plus years of existence, but quarterback success— especially in the modern NFL— hasn't been notable.
Most recently, fans of the Bears thought Justin Fields would be the one to change that trend. However, that wasn't the case, as Fields never even finished out his rookie contract with Chicago.
The NFL includes Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams on '100 days til kickoff' social media promotion
Now, however, the Bears' rookie QB is being used in promotional material to pump fans up for 100 days until the NFL season kicks off.
100 days away from #Kickoff2024 🏈 pic.twitter.com/6sK5qFnJ3A
— NFL (@NFL) May 28, 2024
It's somewhat of a "Who cares?" moment, but with a good deal of confidence, it's fair to say Chicago Bears fans care about this.
For Caleb Williams— a quarterback who's never thrown a pass in the NFL yet— to be featured alongside C.J. Stroud, Aidan Hutchinson, Lamar Jackson, Micah Parsons, Puka Nacua, Patrick Mahomes, and Christian McCaffrey, it's fair to say the NFL has high expectations for the rookie quarterback.
Now, the point of this social graphic was to get fans excited for the upcoming NFL season, and the Chicago Bears hold a large share of fandom across the league. Caleb Williams was also the No. 1 pick in the draft, so there's a clear level of hype around his name to begin with. Pairing the two— Chicago's massive following and a highly touted rookie— makes for big-time numbers on social.
That was likely the motivation behind putting him alongside these NFL superstars, but it's a new feeling for Bears fans to see the NFL itself be as excited for a Bears season as Bears fans are themselves.
Whether this pans out to be a successful season or not for the Chicago Bears, that's up to the NFL script-writers. But, if they know what's good for them, they'll make sure the Bears win the Super Bowl in Caleb Williams' rookie season.