Before Caleb Williams has even stepped onto the field for an NFL regular-season game, his college number has already been retired.
On Thursday, the University of Southern California (USC) made the surprising announcement that it will retire Williams’ No. 13 jersey, a number he wore during his time at the university.
Williams joined USC in the 2022 season following the hiring of head coach Lincoln Riley, who had previously been with Oklahoma. Williams began his college football career with the Sooners but transferred to USC to continue his development under Riley.
During his sophomore year at USC, Williams had a standout season, amassing 4,537 passing yards and 42 touchdown passes. He also added 10 rushing touchdowns to his impressive stats, culminating in a Heisman Trophy win, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football.
In his junior year, despite USC’s overall disappointing season, Williams threw for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns while only throwing five interceptions. His performance was still notable even though the team struggled. His exceptional college career earned him the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Williams becomes the seventh Heisman Trophy winner to have his number retired by USC. The decision to retire his jersey before he even plays a game in the NFL underscores the significant impact he had during his time at the university, even though he only played two seasons there and did not start his college career at USC.
Williams is set to make his NFL debut as the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Alongside him will be fellow rookie Rome Odunze, who will be positioned at wide receiver. The Bears, who are part of the NFC North division, will face strong competition from the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, who are also contenders for the top position in the division.
Chicago is seen as a team with potential surprises in the 2024 season, and much of their success will hinge on the performance of their rookie quarterback, Caleb Williams. If the Bears manage to make it to the playoffs, it will be largely due to the contributions and impact of Williams in his inaugural NFL season.