Report: Caleb Williams Allegedly Hid Learning Disability, Raising Questions About Bears' Drafting
Go Long series cites anonymous team insiders who say the rookie's dyslexia affected on-field progress and that GM Ryan Poles was aware when he drafted the quarterback.
A three-part series published by Go Long and summarized by Tyler Dunne alleges Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams concealed a learning disability during his rookie season and that general manager Ryan Poles was aware of the issue before selecting Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Dunne wrote that he spoke with 32 team insiders and quoted anonymous coaches who, according to the report, believe Williams suffers from dyslexia, a neurological disorder that impacts language-based learning. The series says coaches initially noticed Williams struggling with basic huddle calls and failing to motion players correctly and that the team only learned of a learning disability late in the season — "right around that second-to-last game of the season," Dunne wrote.
According to the report, multiple Bears sources told Go Long they had seen evidence suggesting dyslexia, and some team personnel believe Poles knew of the issue when the Bears used the first overall pick on Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner at USC. The series places attention on the Bears' personnel decision-making and the handling of a high-profile rookie whose adjustment to the professional game was widely followed.
Dunne's account relies on anonymous interviews with coaches and other team personnel and presents their recollections of Williams' on-field communication difficulties and how those issues affected practice and game preparation. The report characterizes those difficulties as language-based and associates them with dyslexia, but it frames the information as allegations from team insiders rather than verified medical findings provided publicly by the player or the franchise.
Williams, entering his second NFL season, struggled at various points during his rookie year as he adjusted from a decorated college career to the professional ranks. The Go Long series does not publish on-the-record statements attributed to Williams, Poles or Bears front-office officials; instead, it compiles accounts from people who spoke to Dunne on background.
The report has prompted renewed scrutiny of the Bears' evaluation and coaching processes around a franchise quarterback prospect. Questions about what team decision-makers knew before and after the draft and how the organization supported Williams during his transition to the NFL are central themes in the series.
Dunne's Go Long pieces represent the latest work scrutinizing personnel choices and player development across the league. The story, as presented in the series, underscores the challenges teams face in assessing prospects' on- and off-field attributes and in addressing medical or learning issues while balancing competitive expectations.
Further reporting may clarify the extent of Williams' condition, any formal diagnoses, and whether team officials had verified information at the time they made roster and draft decisions.