According to Seth Wickersham's book, Caleb Williams expressed reservations about joining the Bears due to concerns about the coaching staff. His father, Carl Williams, explored options to avoid Chicago,

With Williams being the clear-cut top pick coming out of USC, Carl told several agents in 2024 he didn’t want his son to play for the Bears, who had the No. 1 pick. Part of his efforts to avoid Chicago included consulting Archie Manning, father of Eli Manning, who helped orchestrate Eli’s trade from the San Diego Chargers to the New York Giants.

Quarterback Caleb Williams wanted to play for the Minnesota Vikings, and his family tried to circumvent being drafted by the Chicago Bears, before the former USC standout accepted his fate as the No.