Chicago Bears GM addresses Caleb Williams’ ‘different’ contractual requests, but what were they?

In the wild world of professional sports, it’s not uncommon for top athletes to request some unique perks when negotiating their contracts. From Ferraris to specific kinds of bottled water on tap, there is no end to the idiosyncracies of the modern sportsman. That send, Caleb Williams requests raised an eyebrow.

Caleb Williams’ contract requests were strange

With the Chicago Bears now in training camp, there has been intense focus on quarterback Caleb Williams as the team prepares at Halas Hall ahead of its Hall of Fame preseason kickoff game on August 1st. Yet, it’s got to be said that much of that focus has not been on Williams’ contributions on the field, but rather his activity off of it.

Indeed, according to reports, Williams has been negotiating his rookie contract with the franchise, and some rather interesting facts have come to light. To be more specific, it’s understood that the former Oklahoma and USC star who was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, had some stipulations regarding the manner in which he will be paid going forward.

As per reports, the former Trojan got creative with the Browns, requesting to be paid through an LLC, rather than directly from the team. Additionally, Williams also asked if he could receive his salary via a forgivable loan. To be clear, the NFL itself refused to authorize either or the options after the Bears inquired and as we know, Williams did in fact put pen to paper on a deal, but as one can imagine, eyebrows were raised. Indeed, some have suggested that it was an attempt on Williams’ part to avoid paying taxes in Illinois. If that’s the case, could this be the start of something we see players attempting in future?

To that end, it’s not surprising that Bears general manager Ryan Poles addressed the reports - to an extent - on Friday, though it’s got to be said in a somewhat dismissive way as he drew attention to the idea that it’s not uncommon for players to make strange requests during contractual negotiations. Without giving any further details, Poles also went on to state that the negotiation itself was “positive” which would suggest that the franchise has in now way taken offense to Williams’ seemingly unusual requests. Ultimately, it would appear that both parties are happy, Williams did sign the contract after all. With that in mind, Bears fans can now look forward to the maiden season of a signal caller who appears to be a true talent. Can he deliver on that promise? Watch this space.