Angel Reese says her nail tech painted Caleb Williams’ suicide-prevention nails
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese confirmed a connection after Bears quarterback Caleb Williams wore painted fingernails promoting suicide prevention during Monday night’s game
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese confirmed that the nail technician who works for her painted Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams’ fingernails before his Monday night game, after Williams used the design to draw attention to suicide prevention.
Reese posted on X that her nail tech “really wanted to do his nails & she KILLED it! So proud!” Williams entered the game with the suicide prevention ribbon and colors painted on the fingers of his throwing hand and the numbers “988” on the other hand, a reference to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
The timing coincided with Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and comes days before World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10. Williams’ choice of painted nails has become part of his pregame presentation since entering the league; he has used nails in the past to display his uniform number, motivational phrases and other messages.
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, has drawn attention for his fashion and for using his nails to send messages. During his college career at USC he attracted controversy when he displayed a profanity-directed message toward Utah. Reese’s confirmation tied her WNBA team’s stylist directly to Monday’s design.
On the field at Soldier Field, Williams completed 21 of 35 passes for 210 yards and one touchdown and also scored on a rushing play. The Bears surrendered a fourth-quarter lead and lost to the Minnesota Vikings, 27-24.
Williams has frequently used visible pregame statements as part of his public persona. Teammates and fans have varied in their reactions, and the quarterback has said previously that he sees such choices as part of his identity and motivation.
Reese, a Chicago athlete who has become a prominent figure in WNBA and pop-culture coverage, used her social post to highlight the connection and to praise the work of the nail technician. Her comment underscored how athletes across sports sometimes collaborate on off-field messaging and awareness efforts.
The display added to conversations around both Williams’ fashion choices and the broader effort to raise awareness of mental-health resources. The “988” number became federally available in 2022 as a three-digit crisis line intended to connect callers with suicide prevention and mental-health services.