When Caleb Williams was barely ten years old, his mission to become the first draft pick was initiated. Harrison Bailey of the Louisville Cardinals also played a major role in it.
The Bears’ standout quarterback relived the moment that was a turning point in his football career while speaking with NFL reporter Maria Taylor on NBC. During a semi-final matchup with Bailey’s Georgian squad, Williams suffered a crushing defeat that affected him greatly.
Caleb Williams recalls his childhood battle against Harrison
Williams, who was playing running back, was more sensitive than normal to the pain of losing during the game. He said that the fact that his squad lost against Bailey’s was a turning point that made him reevaluate his position on the field. He said,
“Harrison whooped my tail…I took that loss a bit more tough than most times…I wanted to switch to quarterback. I wanted to be able to spread the ball around…I wanted to be a reason why we would win games.”
Williams’ early experience with defeat and his ambition to assume a leadership role as a quarterback spurred him to continue honing his craft and enlisting his father’s assistance in getting ready for what lay ahead.
Williams’ father acted upon the loss, not allowing it to fester. Together, they created a detailed plan aimed at assisting the young athlete in getting ready for the quarterback position. This approach prioritized a number of important areas, including sleep, exercise, and nutrition. His path to become a quarterback was paved with that defeat to Bailey, but it also prepared him for more ambitious objectives.
