There have been several instances in the Super Bowl era where quarterbacks went #1 and #2 in the NFL draft. Inevitably, this led the media to hype up a perceived rivalry between the two. Unfortunately, these efforts are rarely rewarded because the two QBs don't often end up being good. It is usually one or the other. Jim Plunkett and Archie Manning were both trapped on horrible teams. Drew Bledsoe was much better than Rick Mirer. Peyton Manning was an all-time great and Ryan Leaf was an all-time head case. The closest it ever got was Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III in 2012, but RGIII ruined his knee and was never the same. So, one can imagine why the media is drooling over Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
The top two picks of the 2024 draft have been playing some outstanding football lately. Daniels got off to the hotter start, while Williams has ascended rapidly in the past month. Now, the two are set to square off this Sunday, presuming that Daniels can return from his recent rib injury. While Williams is happy to see his draft mate doing well, he made it emphatically clear that their "rivalry" won't hold any of his attention on Sunday.
"No. My job is to go win games on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays. That's it."
Caleb Williams may only use Jayden Daniels for motivation.
Like any competitor, he needs a spark to get his juices flowing. Hearing so many national media outlets state the Bears made a mistake not taking Daniels undoubtedly got his attention. However, he won't use that to put up huge numbers. Instead, he will do what Tom Brady always did. Find a way to make the plays that will drive a stake into the opponent's heart. Stats don't matter. Winning matters. Whether Daniels is on the field or not means nothing. Williams knows winning the game always hurts the opponent most.
One must admire the Bears quarterback for his consistency. Many young guys say their initial goals are to make a Pro Bowl, become an All-Pro, or win an MVP. Throw for 4,000 yards. Throw 30 touchdowns. Caleb Williams has never once aspired to those things. His message has been consistent from the beginning. He wants to win. The goal is clear. Eight Super Bowls is what it will take to put him in the conversation of greatest ever. Whether it's possible or not means nothing. The job remains the same.
