Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has found himself at the centre of online backlash after sharing photos that revealed he had painted his nails blue.
The 22-year-old NFL star posted a series of wedding snaps on Instagram on Monday (14 July) with the caption, “Young n in control.” In the first image, Williams is clearly seen with his nails painted blue.
While many comments on Instagram were supportive, a wave of vitriol surfaced on X (formerly Twitter), where users used the image to question his sexuality. One user wrote, “I’m sorry but Caleb Williams has to like men…” while another declared: “Guys painting their nails is a social trend… and it’s gay.” A third added, “Ummm, this is so gross.”
Williams has never addressed his sexuality publicly, though he has been in a relationship with Alina Thyregod since November 2023. Thyregod, his former high school sweetheart, has previously worked with People magazine. Prior to that, he dated journalism student Valery Orellana.
The quarterback has previously explained his nail painting habit as a tribute to his mother.
“It started, I would say, three years ago,” Williams said in a 2023 interview, ahead of his NFL draft. “It was my last year of high school. My mum does nails, let’s just start it off there. She’s done it my whole life. Nobody else does it. I just like to do new things.”
Williams has made headlines before for his fashion choices. In May 2024, he was photographed at a basketball game wearing pink lipstick, pink nail polish, and carrying a pink phone and wallet. The outfit prompted another round of criticism on X, where users mocked his “girly” appearance.
In response to the backlash, NFL Network host Kyle Brandt called out the online trolls, criticising what he dubbed “caveman Twitter” and their aggressive commentary.
