A version of this article was originally published on May 2nd.

NFL fans in London will get to see the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in action on Sunday, with the Chicago Bears desperately hoping Caleb Williams can finally be the franchise quarterback they’ve always longed for.

Chicago fans have been buzzing since Williams was drafted because not only are they missing recent success, but the team has never really had a superstar at the most important position in the draft in its long, 104-year history Sport.

This is highlighted by the fact that the team is the only one in the league that has never had a quarterback pass for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season.

Williams could be the man to change all that, and the Bears have done everything they can to build a team prepared for Williams to win right away.

After a disappointing first two games, Williams has begun to find his feet and has led the Bears to a 3-2 record, leading them into early playoff contention in the highly competitive NFC North division, led by undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

Last week, Williams had his best performance yet in a 36-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, throwing for 304 yards and two touchdowns with a 126.2 passer rating.

He has scored five touchdowns and no interceptions in his last three games and is starting to imprint his leadership skills on the team

“He’s been bossy lately and told us we need to pay attention to the details,” receiver DJ Moore said Wednesday.

“It shows he’s a leader.”

On Sunday, a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars offers another chance for Williams to showcase his quality and take another positive step in his NFL journey.

Why Williams had to be the first choice

For Chicago, choosing Williams was a no-brainer – not just because of his talent, which was too good to pass up, but also because of the personality and charisma needed to become the sport’s next big star .

In a word, he is different. Not just with his talent on the field, but also with his personality off the field, and a larger than life personality is exactly what is needed to turn this struggling franchise around.

Bears fans hope this pick will be viewed in years to come as a turning point for a team without a Super Bowl since the famed 1985 season, without a playoff win since 2010 and without much hope since then.

There have been miscalculations and near misses, but the Bears, the NFL’s second-oldest team with nine championships, have never had a star quarterback in the modern era.

Now their dreams rest with a 22-year-old who can do just about anything in college football.

What type of quarterback is Williams?

Starting with Oklahoma, Williams transferred to the University of Southern California (USC) and easily won the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in his first year at USC in 2022.

The team struggled more last year, but Williams still shined as not only one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks, but also one who simply won’t give up the ball.

Williams totaled 10,082 passing yards and 93 touchdowns – he threw just 14 interceptions – as well as 960 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground in his three years in college.

Add to that the fact that Williams can make plays and throws just as well while scrambling as he can in the pocket — think Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers on the run — and he had NFL talent evaluators excited about his abilities.

In crucial third- and fourth-down situations, he took his game to an elite level, completing 199 passes without an interception while throwing 46 touchdowns in the red zone and giving the ball away just once.

“One of the most talented quarterbacks I have ever evaluated,” said former NFL quarterback and current TV analyst Chris Simms. “One of the greatest pitchers in college football history.”

Caleb Williams – superstar in waiting

Williams is one of the most marketable sports stars in the USA – without ever having played in the NFL. He reportedly earned up to $10 million (£8 million) from endorsement deals even in college.

He always does it his way and has his own style – like his pink phone case and painted fingernails while watching the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

A video of Williams crying with his mother after USC lost to Washington last year also went viral — something he later used as part of his mental health advocacy.

“I give my best in every single game and every chance I get. I’m an advocate for mental health, showing your feelings and expressing yourself,” Williams responded on social media.

And true to his word, Williams has his own foundation called Caleb Cares, which focuses on mental health, anti-bullying and youth empowerment.

He’s the first true millionaire college star to join the NFL, which some say means he won’t feel the same hunger – but he’s shown how passionate he can be and seems confident he’ll give it his all to help the Chicago Bears succeed.

Why Williams can revitalize the Bears

For sleeping giants, read Bears in Hibernation. The century-old team is one of only two original NFL teams still in existence, but they lack recent success.

The Bears have won nine NFL championships – although only one of them was a Super Bowl – won the second-most number of games in NFL history and inducted the most players into the Hall of Fame.

Only one of them was a true franchise quarterback – and the fact that it was Sid Luckman 85 years ago shows why fans are desperate for Williams to fill that aching void.

The team selected Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick in 2017 – he famously passed over Mahomes – and Justin Fields with the 11th pick in 2021, but neither worked out.

However, they went all-in on Williams as the only quarterback they had hosted in Chicago during the pre-draft process and provided receiving targets for their new playmaker.

Rome Odunze was selected with the ninth overall draft pick that year, and veteran Keenan Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, arrived in free agency to join DJ Moore in what is now a loaded receiving group.

Along with a new stadium on the way, Chicago may finally have hope for the future — but a lot rests on the talented shoulders of its new quarterback.