“This Is Why They Not Winning”: NFL Fans React to Caleb Williams’ Freshly Painted Fingernails

The Chicago Bears’ season has barely begun, but frustration around their new quarterback is already boiling over. Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, has not lived up to the lofty expectations in Year 2, with the team stumbling to a 0-2 start. Mind you, they went 5-12 last year.

The numbers too have been modest. Williams has thrown for 417 yards in his two starts so far, ranking 22nd among quarterbacks, with three touchdowns and one interception. His QBR isn’t inspiring either, sitting at 58.1, which places him 16th, a middling start for a player expected to be the franchise’s savior.

But worst of all, the Bears’ offense looks disjointed under new head coach Ben Johnson, and Williams has already been sacked six times behind a line that was supposed to be rebuilt to protect him. And, it’s against this backdrop that Williams has ignited yet another controversy off the field.

The quarterback recently shared an Instagram story showcasing his left thumb, freshly painted with the logo of Chicago-based multimedia company Lyrical Lemonade. Alongside the snap, he penned, “Gotta support da mob,” tagging both Cole Bennett, the brand’s founder, and Lyrical Lemonade itself.

Unfortunately for the QB, the timing couldn’t have been worse. With the Bears searching for answers and their prized quarterback looking shaky under center, some fans were quick to pounce on Williams, interpreting his post as a sign of misplaced priorities.

“This is why they not winning,” wrote one. “This has to be some sort of g** initiation ritual to get into the club. Only way to explain why he keeps doing this sh*t at 0-2,” senselessly chimed in another.

While one hoped for nail paints “correlating with getting touchdowns”, another fan said, “Okay, this is starting to get annoying.”

That said, what many critics and ‘haters’ overlook here is the deeper meaning behind the nail polish.

For Williams, painting his nails is neither a gimmick nor a distraction; it’s part of his personal identity. He first revealed back in 2023 that the habit started in high school, inspired by his mother, who has been doing nails all her life.

So, painting nails became a small, expressive way of standing out for the QB, and by coincidence, his rookie season began with the Bears going 4-3 in the seven games where he painted them. His latest nail design wasn’t random either … it was a nod to a Chicago-rooted music company.

Since 2020, Lyrical Lemonade has collaborated with the Bears to drop exclusive game-day collections. Their latest “Essentials For Gameday” lineup features a Letterman jacket, illustrated pullovers, a Carton Man shirt, and even a quirky orange plush bear. So Williams’ painted thumb was simply his way of promoting that connection, which is why the backlash feels misplaced.

Williams’ struggles have plenty to do with his growing pains in a new system, a leaky offensive line, and the learning curve every young quarterback faces. They have nothing to do with the polish on his thumb.

After all, this is the same player who posted 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions while getting sacked a league-high 68 times in his rookie season.

At the end of the day, Williams’ nail-paint habit is rooted in sentiment and self-expression. It doesn’t change his ability to read defenses or throw touchdowns.

So while Bears fans have every right to be frustrated with their 0-2 start, it’s worth remembering: a quarterback’s polish doesn’t lose games, but poor protection and execution certainly can. Perhaps this is what they should be calling out Caleb Williams and the Bears for, rather than the color in his nails.