Travis Kelce reacts to Caleb Williams’ departure to Bears, compares Chicago quarterback to Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes
The Caleb Williams era in Chicago is officially underway.
The former USC Trojans quarterback was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft and is already getting to work as the new face of the Bears franchise.
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On the latest episode of their New Heights podcast, brothers Travis and Jason Kelce discussed the pick and what they expect from Williams in the short term.
“It’s been a complete overhaul this year for the Bears and I think Caleb is going out there and making them a better football team. Really, man,” Travis said.
“Watching him play in college the last two years at Oklahoma and USC, I thought he was a real stud.”
The Chiefs tight end also said Williams reminds him a bit of teammate Patrick Mahomes.
The Bears QB has drawn comparisons to three-time Super Bowl winner Mahomes because of his ability to throw on the run and make off-schedule throws.
Kelce agrees that he sees a lot of similarities in their game, especially with how Mahomes played in college at Texas Tech.
“(It’s) similar to the way Patty Mahomes plays the game, or at least the way he played in college where there was a lot of feel and a lot of confidence throwing that thing down the field and letting the guys play,” Kelce added.
“He has this game-changing mentality: At any moment, he can kill you with his arm.
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“And he can do some things with his legs (pass the ball) that a lot of QBs who throw the ball so well can’t do.
“So I think Caleb is killing him.”
Like Mahomes, Williams likes to improvise on the fly and make plays with his arms and legs.
At USC’s Pro Day in March, the 22-year-old talked about the comparisons and insisted there’s nothing Mahomes does physically that he can’t do.
“Everyone goes crazy when I say that…” Williams said.
“There are things he does physically – obviously I’m not Patrick Mahomes and I’m not in his brain – but things he does physically that I don’t think I can do.
“So I call it respect, and I hope soon I can see it and fight a good fight.”
However, he revealed that he “doesn’t like to run unless he has to.”
“I like to throw the ball to my receivers, so we can all have fun. It’s a lot more fun to be able to throw a dagger 20 yards to my receiver ‘X’ and let him eat it up the middle,” said Williams. said.
Mahomes is undeniably one of the greatest of all time, but Williams is ahead of him upon entering the NFL.
Williams was the consensus No. 1 pick in a 2024 class filled with top-tier quarterback talent.
Mahomes was the No. 10 overall pick in 2017 and was selected behind a wide receiver who was cut from the league.
At the time, some draft experts graded Mahomes’ selection as a C-.
Most 2024 experts give the Williams pick an A+.
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That said, Williams has a lot of work to do to reach Mahomes’ levels of dominance.
After all, quarterbacks like Mahomes and Tom Brady have raised expectations and “radically changed the way QBs are perceived.”
There are also concerns about Williams’ emotional disposition.
He cried in his mother’s arms after a college loss and broke down watching his mother’s emotional message after the draft.
“He’s that modern quarterback who’s not afraid to (show emotion),” ESPN draft expert Matt Miller told talkSPORT exclusively.
“It’s not like he’s slamming his helmet on the sidelines in frustration. He’s emotional.
“I would take it 10 times out of 10 to a guy bumping his coach in the side or smacking his helmet.”
Williams is expected to be a Week 1 starter for the Bears, who are scheduled to play London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the 2024 season.
He is joined by wide receiver Rome Odunze, who was selected 9th overall by the Bears in this year’s draft.
The rookies were drafted after the franchise already acquired wide receiver Keenan Allen, former Eagles running back D’Andre Swift and former Chargers TE Gerald Everett this offseason.
Williams will wear No. 18 for Chicago next season in what promises to be an exciting new chapter for the success-starved organization.
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