Caleb Williams proved his own teammate wrong by being named Bears captain

The Caleb Williams hype train continues chugging and gaining more momentum daily. Even his Chicago Bears teammates are buying into the fanfare, naming him one of eight captains for the 2024 NFL campaign.

Chicago announced the news on Monday. Williams joins veterans like Marcedes Lewis, D.J. Moore, T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, Jaylon Johnson and Kevin Byard III, though he's the only rookie. Players typically vote on team captains, so this is the ultimate sign of respect from this year's No. 1 overall pick's peers.

Williams didn't simply get handed this badge of honor -- he came in and earned it. Comments from Johnson, a fellow co-captain, before the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner even arrived in Chicago validate that notion.

Caleb Williams proved teammate Jaylon Johnson wrong by being named Bears captain

In March, Johnson forewarned Williams to check his ego at the door when he officially became a Bear. The star cornerback said to leave the "Hollywood stuff" the latter did during his collegiate days at USC. The generational quarterback prospect is now among the most esteemed members of Chicago's locker room, alongside the former.

"You just humble yourself coming into the building, You can't bring that Hollywood stuff into the building especially with guys who have played the game at a high level for consecutive years – Tremaine, TJ, Keenan Allen. We going to see through that. What you did in college, the Hollywood, it's like nah, you gotta prove yourself," Johnson said.

While Williams forced Johnson to eat his words, the Pro Bowl defensive back is presumably pleased to be wrong. This would suggest the 22-year-old signal-caller is doing his part to gain the admiration of his counterparts.

With a limited preseason sample size, Williams has shown flashes of what makes him such a tantalizing quarterback. He's displayed comfort in the pocket, also knowing when to escape from it. His 50 percent completion rate was subpar, but he threw for 170 yards and only took one sack. The rookie gunslinger also accumulated 20 yards and a score through the ground on two carries.

Moreover, Williams' charismatic personality and confidence in himself and his teammates likely also played a factor. He's got an infectious sense of optimism and confidence that uplifts those around him. 

Per ESPN's Courtney Cronin, Williams is the first rookie to achieve the title of captain under Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. She also notes that the first-year pro is the foremost in franchise history to earn the season-long distinction formally.