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Since going No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears in 2024, Caleb Williams has been a standout in the NFL. Now, the dynamic playmaker brings that signature style to the virtual world as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27.
Colin Cowherd believes that the fact that Williams earned the spot as Madden NFL 27’s cover athlete shows what a unique talent he truly is. At 24 years old, Williams is the third-youngest player to appear on the cover, behind only Michael Vick (2004) and Lamar Jackson, who was 23 years old after his unanimous NFL MVP season in 2019.
“He’s been given the Madden cover for the Chicago Bears and he’s the first one to receive that title,” Cowherd said. “I still think Caleb [Williams] It is unique and rare. “He’s still underrated as a No. 1 pick at quarterback.”
Cowherd has an interesting theory about why Williams remains underrated nationally, even after earning the rare honor of becoming the cover athlete.
“Here’s my theory on it,” Cowherd said. “If you look at the No. 1 quarterbacks — Trevor Lawrence, Andrew Luck, Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford, Peyton Manning — they’re very traditional and Caleb isn’t.”
Cowherd believes Williams defies the mold of what fans typically expect from a franchise quarterback. His personality, style and ability to improvise have made him one of the most polarizing young stars in the league.
“From painting your nails to just [being] He’s 6-foot-1 and he’s incredible off the deck,” Cowherd said. “Sometimes I think he’s better off the deck than he is in the pocket. “He was the first NIL star, the first quarterback of Generation Z.”
The plot centers on the idea that Williams’ individuality is often viewed differently in sports than in other forms of entertainment, where uniqueness is more openly accepted.
“He’s a non-traditional quarterback and I think in music or the arts or movies you celebrate the unique,” Cowherd said. “Pink Floyd celebrated, the Beatles celebrated, Stanley Kubrick, the director, celebrated. Sports don’t work like that. Sports are ranked by rankings and wins.”
Williams is coming off a 12-5 season in which he threw 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions while leading the Bears to seven wins in the fourth quarter or overtime. Still, some skepticism remains given his 60.3 career completion percentage and a 5-12 record in his rookie year.
Cowherd believes that no matter how successful Williams is, a quarterback’s status in today’s game is ultimately defined by team wins and success.
“I think in the sports industry, to be different, it’s better to be successful because people are going to fight back,” Cowherd said. “[If] you get a Super Bowl, you get a parade; That’s the craziest thing we can get.”
Still, Cowherd believes Williams’ unique playing style puts him in rare company among the league’s most talented quarterbacks. In fact, it even puts him in the same category as Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
“I think this season and I said it at the end of last year, I’m not sure, other than Josh Allen, if anyone has his talent in the NFL playing that position,” Cowherd said. “I think two quarterbacks in this league have more horsepower than any other quarterback. Allen and Caleb.”
The league has a reputation for taking longer to fully appreciate quarterbacks who don’t fit the traditional mold. Cowherd did not hold back his praise, even going so far as to place Williams in a rare category as one of the top five quarterbacks in the game.
“I don’t think so [Patrick] Mahomes has that power level, so I think right now [Caleb] He’s one of the five best quarterbacks in the league, but he’s very different. “He had a bad first year and because he plays a non-traditional quarterback style, we struggled with that in sports.”
