Caleb Williams is now a starting quaterback in the NFL, leading the on-field offensive charge for the Chicago Bears.
Before he was selected No. 1 in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams and his painted fingernails were throwing the football for the USC Trojans.
It was in Los Angeles at USC that Williams’ proclivity for painted fingernails fist jumped onto the scene. And Utah fans were not too pleased.
For the Trojans’ 2022 Pac-12 Championship game against the Utah Utes, Williams decided to paint “F**k Utah” on his fingernails for the big-time game.
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It’s easy to understand their reactions, given Williams’ fingernails spelled out a message of profanity aimed at the Beehive State.
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It’s a bit surprising, on one level, that the NCAA had not gotten ahead of this. The association has, for a while, prohibited personal messages drawn into eye black, after Florida QB Tim Tebow and USC running back Reggie Bush posted (respectively) a Bible verse and an area code on their eye black during games.
Williams obviously found another way that had not been regulated by the rules: his fingernails.
The paint didn’t provide any magic, as Utah crushed USC, 47-24, to win the Pac-12. Williams did have a very good game, throwing for 363 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Williams has brought his nail-painting to the NFL, enshrining a message on his nails during week one. What message do Williams’ fingernails have for the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football? We’ll see.
