Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams recently found himself on the receiving end of an elaborate prank orchestrated by a group of mischievous teenagers. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft revealed on a podcast appearance that he was catfished into believing he was communicating with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, a head coaching candidate for the Bears.
A Text Message Trap
The prank began when Williams received an official-looking text message from an unknown number claiming to be Johnson. The text, sent on January 10th, informed the quarterback that Johnson would be taking the Bears’ head coaching job and expressed excitement to work with Williams.
“Hey Caleb, this is Ben Johnson. Just wanted to reach out ahead of time before it gets released to the media, I will be taking the HC job. Very excited to work with you in the future. Great things.”
– Text message to Caleb Williams
Distracted while playing a video game, Williams admitted he wasn’t as focused as he should have been to spot the inconsistencies. He knew the Bears were deep into first-round head coach interviews and assumed they had already met with Johnson, even though the coordinator’s virtual interview was actually scheduled for the next day.
Verifying Suspicions
Despite the convincing nature of the text, Williams did attempt to verify the sender’s identity. He reached out to his former USC teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown, who plays for the Lions, to confirm Johnson’s number. When St. Brown didn’t reply quickly, Williams took matters into his own hands.
The rookie QB sent a text to the unknown number and followed up with a FaceTime call, hoping to catch the impersonator. Much to his surprise, he was greeted by a group of laughing teenagers who were amazed their prank had worked.
“I ain’t going to lie, it was a classic prank. It was a Grade A, S-tier prank. I gotta give ’em props. I wasn’t locked in, in the moment.”
– Caleb Williams on the “St. Brown Podcast”
Keeping His Cool
Despite his frustration, Williams managed to keep his composure during the call, suspecting he was being recorded. But once he hung up, his true feelings emerged.
“I wanted to smash some s—. I was fuming.”
– Caleb Williams
The incident forced Williams to change his phone number for the first time in 15 years, a testament to the effectiveness of the teenagers’ scheme. As the Bears continue their head coaching search, having interviewed 12 candidates so far, Williams shared some of the qualities he’s looking for in the team’s next leader.
- Offensive-minded to build a long-term relationship with the QB
- Strong leader who can control the game and manage the clock
- Ability to identify the right players to win championships
While the prank may have briefly gotten his hopes up, Williams remains focused on his ultimate goal: bringing a championship to Chicago. With a new head coach on the horizon and a promising young quarterback at the helm, Bears fans have reason to be optimistic about the future, even if it involves the occasional catfishing along the way.
