Quote · New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Myles Garrett & AJ Brown Got Traded, Caleb Williams on Madden Cover, Da Bears & Shirtless Ben Johnson | EP 194
Where this was said
Caleb's Unorthodox Throws & Swimming Origin Story
At 45:13 · chapter starts 42:40
Travis brings up the viral playoff throw — rolling left while hips and legs point toward the sideline, somehow generating enough power to drop the ball in the back of the end zone. Caleb breaks it down: he created enough space to flip around, spotted Cole Kmet at 6'5" against a smaller corner, and trusted his legs to generate power even with his body sideways. The conversation then pivots to where those mechanics came from. Everyone assumed baseball; the answer is swimming. Caleb swam backstroke, freestyle, individual medley, and relay events — and attributes the shoulder flexibility and rotational strength from the water to his ability to throw from impossible angles. He also played soccer and basketball growing up, but never baseball. Travis and Jason are genuinely surprised, and Caleb sums it up simply: 'I don't know how I got all the funky throws. I think it's from swimming, just being able to have the strength in the shoulder' [1] — Caleb Williams "Everyone assumed Caleb Williams threw like that because of baseball or gymnastics. Wrong. It's swimming. The backstroke, freestyle, IM, and…" 44:25 .
Rolling left, legs pointing toward the sideline, Caleb spotted Cole Kmet at 6'5" and 260 lbs matched up against a smaller corner and put the ball in the back of the end zone. The play worked because Caleb trusted his legs to generate power even while his body was completely sideways.
Everyone assumed Caleb Williams threw like that because of baseball or gymnastics. Wrong. It's swimming. The backstroke, freestyle, IM, and relay events built the shoulder flexibility and rotational power that produce his impossible release angles. Nobody else in the NFL has that combination.
Caleb Williams credits swimming — not baseball — as the secret behind his unorthodox throws, citing the shoulder flexibility and rotational strength it develops.
Caleb Williams revealed the Bears now have three elite tight ends after adding a new rookie, giving them a major personnel advantage on offense.
Cole Kmet is just the start. The Bears now have three elite tight ends after a new rookie addition — all of them tall, smooth pass catchers who can also run and pass block. In Ben Johnson's motion-heavy system, Caleb says this personnel group is the ultimate matchup nightmare.
