Caleb Williams Wanted to 'Mimic' Steph Curry's Training Strategy in Bears' Offseason

As he enters his second NFL season, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams implemented an interesting practice strategy that was influenced by one of the NBA's biggest stars.

The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain reported that in hopes of perfecting his craft, Williams sought to "mimic" the training routine of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, in which only a swish counts as a "make."

Williams was directed by Bears first-year head coach Ben Johnson to work on short throws to his left and left-to-right throws this offseason, and he used Curry's approach to help improve in those areas.

"For me, it was like I want this ball to be in a certain location," Williams told Fishbain. "So if I didn't hit the location, it was, redo."

As he learned Johnson's complex offense, Williams spent a lot of time with his new coach to understand that every detail matters.

"Making sure I place the ball exactly where I want to because those extra 2 yards could be a 3-yard route, and those extra 2 yards gives you 5 yards and that now you're maybe second-and-5 and now you are ahead of the chains," he said.

The 2024 No. 1 pick also spent much of the offseason perfecting his footwork and timing, two things that often hurt him during his rookie year. He once again turned to Curry's basketball influence, comparing how he practiced his footwork to someone mimicking a "Euro step." He even started doing play-action drop backs around his house, similar to how basketball players practice moves against inanimate objects.

"I haven't gone back in a while, because I've written down or we've spoken about things that I need to improve on from last year, and it's footwork and it's timing," he said. "A lot of those timing pieces, they go with the feet. Having my feet on point allows me to deliver the ball with some anticipation. It allows me to deliver the ball where I want, when I want and not be hesitant on what I'm seeing or what I am doing because my feet aren't in the right place at the right time."

Williams will get started on showcasing his improvements when the Bears open the 2025 season next week on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings.