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Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff Writer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Caleb Williams has dealt with external pressure and scrutiny for years on his journey to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. The former USC star quarterback was criticized for crying after the Trojans lost to Washington last season and for painting his nails.
But nothing will compare to the pressure Williams is about to face in changing the perception around the Chicago Bears — who last won a playoff game in 2010 — after being drafted with the first overall pick Thursday.
Williams, however, isn’t shying away from the enormous expectations that await him in the NFL.
“What’s the reason to duck?” Williams said Friday. “It’s here. There’s no reason to duck. I’m here. Rome [Odunze] is here. Keenan Allen, the top-five defense that we had last year, special teams, all the new roles — whatever. We’re here. I’m excited. I know everybody’s excited. The Bears fans are excited from what I’ve heard and seen, and there’s no reason to duck. Attack it head first and go get it.”
Williams is the first player in Bears history to be drafted at No. 1 and their highest-drafted quarterback since Mitchell Trubisky was taken with the second pick in 2017. Chicago’s search for a franchise quarterback has stretched over decades.
The Bears averaged a league-low 167.1 passing yards per game over the last three seasons combined and totaled 50 interceptions in that time (2nd most in the NFL), prompting them to trade quarterback Justin Fields last month and start over with a rookie.
Chicago chose Williams, a decision general manager Ryan Poles said had been affirmed since the quarterback’s top 30 visit earlier this month, to upgrade its quarterback play. And while growing pains are expected for every rookie transitioning from college to the pros, Williams isn’t giving much thought to potential struggles in his first season.
“I don’t think I think about it, to be honest with you,” Williams said. “I think about just doing my job, handling the things that I can handle, dealing with the small things, holding everybody accountable and everybody holding me accountable, showing up to work every day ready to go and to have fun doing.
“If growing pains do come around, it happens with a lot of players. You deal with it in that moment. You handle it, but I don’t think about it.”
Williams then doubled down on the notion that he expects to be great right away.
“Why wouldn’t I?” he said. “Obviously if there’s growing pains, you handle them. But that doesn’t mean that affects your greatness. There’s trials and tribulations that you go through. Why would I go somewhere, work so hard for so many years and then in every situation I go to believe I’m the best, and then I get here and I don’t believe that?
“That doesn’t mean that I go around and boast. That doesn’t mean that I go around and say that. But the way I handle my work, the way I carry myself every day, how I treat my friends, family, teammates, the faculty, the executives here, the custodians, whatever the case may be – treat everybody as they are, we’re all equal and everybody should think that they’re the best when you do things and you work so hard for stuff.”