LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears named eight captains for the 2024 season Monday, including rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
The selection process for team captains has historically been based on player voting. The No. 1 draft pick is the first rookie to earn the distinction since Bears coach Matt Eberflus was hired in 2022 and is believed to be the only first-year player in franchise history to be named a season-long captain since the team officially began appointing them in 2007.
"When you come to work every day like he did, and go through the things that he had to grow through, especially against the defense, and you see the work that he was putting in day in and day out, I mean you can't do anything but respect that and want him to be a captain for you," wide receiver DJ Moore said.
Williams' leadership has been a hot topic throughout the offseason after the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner replaced quarterback Justin Fields, who was traded to Pittsburgh in March. The rookie's ability to win over the locker room since arriving in May is among the highlights of his early Bears career for general manager Ryan Poles.
"It's fairly natural," Poles noted of Williams' leadership. "It's not forced. We've all been in teams before, but like there's people that come into those situations and they try too hard. It's like, man, it's awkward. It's hard to buy into that. Then there's guys that they can navigate that so naturally because they're authentic and it's real, and that's what he's done. Then on top of that, just as a professional player, you have to perform, you have to do some things that guys are like, 'OK, there's something different about you.' And then pair that with a good natural, just good social skills, some cool things happen and then leadership starts to blossom and that's what you see now."
Williams, 22, is among the youngest on the Bears roster to be named captain, while 40-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis is the oldest. Moore, tight end Cole Kmet, linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Kevin Byard III were also selected.
"I know it's a larger group than we're used to, but we have a bigger group of leadership now than we've had these couple years under our belt," Eberflus said. "And now we got this third year going so I really feel strong about those guys, and they know the first rule of leadership is leading themselves and being the example we want to see in terms of work ethic, in terms of leadership, in terms of standing up when you have to speak. But mostly lead by your actions."
Eberflus said he did not know whether the Bears would continue to name an honorary captain each week, as he had during his first two seasons in Chicago. Williams is the first rookie captain Eberflus has coached in 16 NFL seasons.
"I had it with offense and defense, and had the guys rank those guys and [Williams] came out really high," he said. "All those guys did. That's what's great about it. And we had other guys that had great votes, too, just not enough to get into that captain's vote. But that's a really good sign that he's got leadership throughout the entire team."