Caleb Williams takes bold stance at NFL Combine

Caleb Williams is expected to be the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it’s assumed GM Ryan Poles will make him a Chicago Bear.

There’s no denying Williams’ on-field talent. He’s a superstar quarterback between the lines, but there are concerns inside the league about whether he has the right mental makeup to be a franchise quarterback.

Williams has a chance to answer many of those questions at the 2024 NFL Combine, but he’s off to a rocky start. He won’t participate in the on-field drills, which isn’t uncommon for the presumptive top pick, but his decision to skip the team medical exams is a first.

BREAKING: USC QB Caleb Williams has DECLINED to medical examinations with teams at the Combine and did not sign off on having his medical records shared
with all teams.

Williams is believed to be the first combine invitee ever to decline an examination, per CBS. pic.twitter.com/ipHqfxNBYJ

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 1, 2024

No player in the history of the NFL Combine has taken this stance, but it’s important to note that Caleb Williams will submit to a medical exam by teams he’s meeting with.

Perhaps this is an issue that will blow over in time. But it doesn’t help Williams’ attempts to silence the noise around him… if he even cares about that stuff.

I’m not overly concerned about this. It’s time to acknowledge that we’re in a new era of NFL Draft prospects. The top players are entering the league as millionaires (or close to it). As a result, they’re taking some ownership of the draft process, which will slowly become the new normal whether you like it or not.

Williams is the first player to skip league-wide medical exams at the NFL Combine, but I don’t think he’ll be the last.