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Caleb Williams' nails have garnered attention since his rookie year with the Chicago Bears in 2024. As the quarterback took the spotlight in the playoffs this season, his manicures caught more people's eyes. But longtime fans know that Williams’ affinity for painted nails began before his NFL career—he’s been painting his nails since his last year of high school, and later, it became his tradition on game days while playing for the University of Southern California Trojans.
Williams’ nails aren’t just a symbol of luck on the field—they also serve as a daily tribute to his mother, who worked as a nail technician his entire life. Though his nails have gotten some negative comments for going against the status quo of football culture over the years, he has continued the tradition as he led the Bears in the playoffs. The football player doesn’t mind paving the way as a trendsetter. “I don’t care what people have to say about it,” he once said in an interview.
While the Chicago Bears' season is over now, Williams made quite the impact culturally. On TikTok, fans have been showing off their painted nails (and matcha lattes), inspired by the young quarterback. And in the long run, he'll likely empower the next generation of football players to similarly express themselves freely.
Until then, see a roundup of Caleb Williams’ nails from the 2025 and 2026 season below.
August 2025
Williams kicked off the season in color. At a preseason game in August, the Bears quarterback faced off and won against the Buffalo Bills, sporting baby blue nails.
September 2025
While battling against the Minnesota Vikings in Chicago, Williams wore mismatched turquoise and purple nails on the field. His other fingers had a ribbon and “988,” the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number drawn on them, in honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. “I’m trying to keep good-spirited things on my nails,” Williams previously said in a 2024 podcast episode for Pardon My Take.
October 2025
In a game against the Baltimore Ravens, the star athlete opted for blue embellished nails, complete with solid neon pink, lime green, and navy blue hues on his pinky fingers and thumbs.
November 2025
Williams is known to go the kitsch route with his nails. He competed against the Pittsburgh Steelers with pearly white tips adorned by glittery silver spikes.
December 2025
In December, the Bears quarterback took on the Green Bay Packers sporting bold blue and white nails, with “The 1” alternating between both hands, possibly a reference to being a first overall draft pick for the team ahead of his rookie year.
January 2026
Williams battled (and won) against the Green Bay Packers in a postseason game with glossy, clear nails. Some fingers had stickers in black lettering “UNEFNG” and another bore a “1.” Another nail also read “4K,” perhaps for motivation to reach the 4,000 passing yards milestone as quarterback for the Bears.
