Caleb Williams reveals initial reaction when Bears traded Justin Fields

Caleb Williams' penthouse is perched high above Los Angeles. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer a panoramic view of the sprawling city, set against the backdrop of Southern California's rolling hills. The interior, an open-plan space with hardwood floors, is sparsely decorated with modern furnishings and a few awards, including the Heisman Trophy. It's safe to say that USC's 22-year-old quarterback, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, is doing well for himself.

"This is usually the spot you get once you go first overall," remarked Ryan Clark, co-host of the "The Pivot" podcast.

In the modern era of college football, it's the type of place a player gets after reviving a program to its former glory and establishing himself as a generational talent. In 2024, Williams will trade the golden rays and lavish luxury of Los Angeles for the grit and cold weather of Chicago. That was all but guaranteed when the Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers in March.

Caleb Williams shares his initial reaction to the Justin Fields trade

During an appearance on "The Pivot" podcast, Williams was asked about his immediate reaction to the Justin Fields trade.

“I was in the car, I was driving to a business meeting. I’m listening to music. I’m bobbing my head. I probably got on Drake. And I’m chilling," Williams said. "I’m in West Hollywood driving to a business meeting and all I see is my phone explodes. Whether it’s actual regular fans or whether it’s ESPN or whatever the case may be. I pick up my phone, and it’s going off, and I’m trying to figure out what just happened ... I end up calling a couple people and was just like, ‘Welp, we know where their mind and heart is at this instance. Let’s prepare, get ready and handle things accordingly and still do our due diligence on the situation and things like that."

"In that moment, it was kind of like, ‘Wow,’ because I didn’t do my top-30 visit yet," Williams said. "They didn’t have my medicals and things like that. They have it all now and I had a good time on my top-30. But it was interesting right then in that moment because it was just so unexpected in that instance."

Chicago electing to move on from Fields prior to having Williams' medical and top-30 says a lot about just how easy this decision was for them.

Prior to the trade, the Chicago Bears faced the same conundrum they faced last year: either trade the No. 1 overall pick or trade their starting quarterback. Once they opted to move on from Fields, it was clear which direction they were going in. The trade drew mixed reviews from fans and teammates that had grown to love Fields despite his struggles on the field.

Although early reports indicated that Williams may attempt to avoid playing in Chicago, he expressed his desire to spend the next two decades in the Windy City, where he wants to chase down Tom Brady's legacy.

"Love L.A., L.A. was great," Williams said. "Now that I want to play in one place for 20 years, and chase one guy: No. 12. I want a place that loves ball. That's all I've heard about Chicago so far, which is exciting for me."

Before he can chase Brady's legacy, Williams will have to earn the respect of Chicago's locker room, many of who were vocal in their support of Fields. Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson shared a warning for the Trojans quarterback during an appearance on "Up & Adams" in March.

"You just humble your stuff coming into the building," Johnson said about Williams. "You can’t bring that Hollywood stuff into the building, especially with guys who played this game at a high level for consecutive years in the league."

During his two seasons at USC, Williams captivated fans with the ability to throw from anywhere on the field, at any time, using an array of arm slots. Williams set USC single-season records for passing yards (4,537) and passing touchdowns (42) in 2022, and he became the first FBS quarterback since Patrick Mahomes to record 30-plus passing touchdowns and 10-plus rushing touchdowns in back-to-back seasons.

Things won't come easily in the NFL, however. Even for talented quarterbacks who navigated through high school and college with ease, the transition to the professional level isn't an easy one. Expectations will be high from the moment he takes his first snap, and many of the broken plays that Williams turned into highlights will result in disaster in the NFL. The expectations will be astronomically high from the moment he takes his first snap.