Caleb Williams, former USC Trojan QB and likely first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, tweeted a wildly tone deaf response to an analyst’s assessment that he hasn’t faced adversity Tuesday.
Williams was responding to a take from legendary former Alabama quarterback and current radio analyst Greg McIlroy.
“The guys that ultimately go on to become elite players, every single one of them has a gigantic chip on their shoulder. They’re mad at the world or they create some kind of false narrative about themself that people don’t believe in them. Caleb Williams, from the time he stepped on campus at Oklahoma to the time he stepped on campus at SC, he has never experienced adversity,” McIlroy told ESPN’s Kevin Clark.
“Very little adversity as far as how he was received, and how he was portrayed as the next best guy. Even when they went 7-6 this year… it wasn’t because of Caleb. He did his part… But I do wonder about, is there a sense of entitlement?” McIlroy asked.
So @GregMcElroy likes Caleb Williams. He has one concern: “Caleb Williams has never experienced adversity…I do wonder, is there a sense of entitlement, is there the chip on the shoulder that’s going to keep him going 10-12 years down the road the way it does Mahomes.” pic.twitter.com/nJxGI99AIY
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) April 9, 2024
Williams, taking exception to the notion that he hadn’t dealt with adversity, clapped back, providing a robust and compelling list of the Herculean tribulations he’s had to overcome to get to where he is today… just kidding, he did the exact opposite of that.
In an attempt to demonstrate to everyone that he hasn’t been insulated from hardship, Williams came across as a child whining that he’s finally ready to play with the big boys.
He listed his three biggest hardships from college in a Tuesday night tweet.
“Y1. Didn’t start freshman year.
Y2. Popped hammy championship game 1st Q. Lost bc of my hammy.
Y3. 7-5 my last year of college ball.”
Let’s go back to school again 😂🤦🏽♂️cause I’m bored rn..
Adversity:
“A state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune.”Y1. Didn’t start freshman year.
Y2. Popped hammy championship game 1st Q. Lost bc of my hammy.
Y3. 7-5 my last year of college ball. https://t.co/360cZjUGzD— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) April 9, 2024
Ohhh the humanity! Nobody better tell him about the stories of Shaquem Griffin, or Nate Boyer or … God forbid he hears what Eric Berry had to go through.
The three biggest adversities he’s faced are *checks notes* three completely normal things that happen to people all the time?
Not starting your freshman year is not adversity. It’s a completely normal thing that happens to virtually everybody who’s blessed enough to play high-level college football, a privilege within itself.
Having a winning record is, again, not adversity. It’s not even a bad thing. It means, to some degree, you and your team achieved a modicum of success. Of course, you want to win the championship every year, but do the math, C-Money. 134 teams compete for the championship every season. Only one team can win it. Some people are gonna be disappointed.
As for the hamstring injury, that definitely sucks, I’ve been there myself. But he incurred it in a championship game (on an electric run I might add) and still managed to finish the game. He claims the injury limited his ability to scramble and cost him the Pac-12 championship. Which may very well be true. But winners don’t blame losses on injuries. Winners find a way to win, no matter what the circumstances.
Despite the tight hammy, Williams has actually never missed a game due to injury in his whole college career. The only game he didn’t play in was USC’s last one, a bowl game he likely opted out of to protect his draft status. Another massive privilege.
Williams may be the most privileged prospect to ever enter the NFL. He eschewed any notion that he’d be working out at the NFL’s March Scouting Combine, refusing to even participate in any medical evaluations at the event, an unprecedently arrogant move from a potential top pick, and yet his draft stock did not fall.
“I didn’t feel the need to go out and throw,” he said, according to NFL.com. “I played around 30-something games, I believe. Go ahead and go watch real live ball of me and see how I am as a competitor.” (RELATED: Massively Hyped NFL QB Prospect Caleb Williams Fires Absolute Nuke During USC Pro Day Workout)
I don’t blame the kid for exploiting the leverage he has, I don’t. But if the book on you is that you’re entitled and arrogant, the last thing you should do is go around boasting about how you don’t need to work out because teams already know what you can do.
Nobody is saying Williams hasn’t worked hard. Hell, to be as good as he is, you have to work your freaking tail off. But what McIlroy is saying is, he hasn’t been punched in the face yet. What happens if he gets the Baker Mayfield treatment and has to bounce around as a journeyman going from team to team until he can prove to someone he’s worthy? Is he resilient enough to endure that? The kid who wears nail polish and dresses?
Frankly, I couldn’t care less if he cross-dresses. The kid can throw pill, and if you can play you can play. But this kid needs to check his attitude right quick if he really wants to be great. And the Bears better get some real good people around him to make sure his head stays on straight because this is a terrible look for your franchise quarterback.