Caleb Williams explains why he is changing his number from 13

As Caleb Williams begins his new chapter with the Chicago Bears, he’ll be doing it with a new jersey number. After sporting the No. 13 with the Oklahoma Sooners, then the USC Trojans, the new Bears quarterback will wear No. 18 for the foreseeable future. The new No. 1 overall draft pick opened up about the decision on The Parkins & Spiegel Show on 670 The Score in Chicago on Friday.

“I went away from 13 because there’s a 13-year vet here, Hall of Famer, named Keenan Allen,” Williams said. “It was a quick and easy talk. I just asked him what is he gonna do. – I didn’t discuss or fight about it. I have respect for, like I said, 13-year vet. That’s how that went down.”

Despite wielding considerable power as the future face of the Bears franchise, Williams revealed he’s ceding his number to former Chargers star Keenan Allen. Allen joined Chicago this offseason after a trade in which Los Angeles gave up a fourth-round selection. He only has one year left on his contract, which he originally signed with the Chargers for four years, $80.1 million. If the Bears don’t re-sign him, the No. 13 jersey could be back on the market soon. Even still, Williams doesn’t plan to switch things up, unless he has a “Lebron-esque” career.

“We’re sticking with 18,” Williams said. “Once you do something, you go with it, you stick to it. I plan on, unless I have a LeBron James career where I go from 23 to 6, between the numbers, I plan on being 18.”

Williams’ Bears jersey sets Fanatics sales record after Night 1

Chicago Bears fans celebrated their first No. 1 overall draft pick in more than half a century on Thursday night by setting a new jersey sales record. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, new No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams had his Bears jersey set a record on Fanatics for most jerseys sold on draft night in the company’s history. Williams surpassed Indiana Fever No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark, who broke the record less than two weeks ago.

Chicago had only had two first overall draft picks in their history before Thursday night. They selected selected Tom Harmon in 1941 and Bob Fenimore in 1947. Williams, a Heisman Trophy winner, was the first quarterback taken in this draft, which saw six quarterbacks come off the board in the first round.

Clark wasted no time in setting a record after being selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in Monday’s 2024 WNBA Draft. Just two hours after commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced her name at the podium at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Clark became Fanatics’ top-selling draft pick in any draft night history. At the time, she took the top spot from Trevor Lawrence who set the peak after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.