Caleb Williams. Quinn Harris/Getty Images
NFL quarterback Caleb Williams made a serious fashion statement in his debut game with the Chicago Bears.
Before facing off against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, September 8, Williams, 22, was spotted with a message on his freshly manicured nails.
Photographers captured the University of Southern California alum’s orange nails with “#18 DA BEARS” spread throughout his 10 fingers. “#18” refers to the quarterback’s new number in Chicago while “Da Bears” references the popular nickname for the team, which is often said in a Midwestern accent.
While Williams and the Bears were losing for a portion of the game, the team was able to come back and defeat the Titans in their first regular matchup of the season.
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This isn’t the first time Williams has sported nail art on his fingers. Throughout his college career at USC, the quarterback would share a variety of messages on his nails.
Against Washington State, he painted the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline onto his nails. When playing Stanford, however, Williams delivered a different message when he put the school logo on his middle finger.
The painted fingers of quarterback Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears on September 8, 2024 Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
When asked about the inspiration behind the various manicures, Williams gave credit to his mom.
“She’s been doing nails since I could remember and she’s always done it,” Williams shared on Good Morning America in 2022. “I think since she was probably, like, 14, she’s always done it. So, that was a little time before I was born. And so ever since I was born, she’s been doing it. I would always sit around or just, you know, either I’m playing my game or I’ll mess my mom, I still mess my mom a lot. So I was playing my game, messing with my mom and kind of just sitting there she’d always do my nails. I didn’t get paint on him, but she’d always do ’em.”
Quarterback Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears sets to throw during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field on September 8, 2024. Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
One instance where Williams chose not to have any nail art was when he accepted the Heisman Trophy in 2022. The award is handed out to the most outstanding player in college football.
“I’m gonna be in a lot of suits,” he said at the time, “so I went plain.”
Nails aside, Williams is looking forward to making the most of his first season as an NFL player. In fact, he already has his eyes on his next game against the Houston Texans.
“I don’t care about stats. I feel great,” he said in a post-game interview. “To be honest with you, I feel great. … We’re grateful and happy to get this win.”
