When the Saints (1-5) head to Chicago to face the Bears (3-2) Sunday, a reunion of sorts will take place.
Bears franchise quarterback Caleb Williams and current Saints starter Spencer Rattler were once teammates at the University of Oklahoma. They each went in separate directions after their one season spent together, and for the first time since then, their divergent football journeys will intersect once again.
Back in 2021, the Oklahoma Sooners were in the catbird seat under center. They boasted a five-star recruit in Rattler and a promising youngster seated behind him in Williams. It seemed like an ideal situation -- that is, until an ugly first half against rival Texas prompted coach Lincoln Riley to bench Rattler for the younger Williams.
The rest is history. Only a freshman, Williams sparked an incredible comeback in the storied rivalry game, claiming the job permanently (until he followed Riley to USC) and sending Rattler east as a transfer to South Carolina, where he finished his collegiate career.
"The past is the past. We're focused on the present and the future, but I would say, yeah, that definitely led me to South Carolina," Rattler said on Wednesday of his benching. "It was a blessing in disguise that I got to play with the Gamecocks and develop there and get ready to the league after that."
Both entered the NFL in the same 2024 class with vastly different valuations: Williams went No. 1 overall to Chicago, while Rattler waited until Day 3 to hear his name called in the fifth round.
All of that is in the past for Rattler, who has seemed to grab a stronger hold on the starting job thanks to the consistent performances he's produced in recent weeks. He's eager to prove he's the same prospect who was once considered a top talent.
"I like to put myself up with any of those guys in that (2024 draft) class," Rattler said. "I've been competing with those guys since high school ball; I'm still doing it to this day. I love to compete against those guys, and I definitely want to be mentioned in that group, because I feel like confidence-wise, I'm up there with those guys."
Despite New Orleans' unsightly record, Rattler is doing himself some justice so far this season. He's completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 1,217 yards, a 6-1 TD-INT ratio and a passer rating of 91.9 while running 26 times for 143 yards. At minimum, he's proving he's capable of handling the speed of the NFL game and first-year coach Kellen Moore's offense. Those who have watched closely know he's performing well above the expectation set by his tumultuous rookie season -- so well, in fact, that he's ranked right behind Williams in NFL.com's QB Index (and may move ahead of his former teammate entering Week 7).
Perhaps Rattler's journey was meant to prepare him for this opportunity all along.
"Just how to deal with adversity," Rattler said about what he took from his benching and eventual transfer to South Carolina. "It's not the first time a quarterback had to go through that, so I'm not the only one. But adversity, it's the quarterback position, it's what comes with the job. You've got to deal with it and move onto the next."
Rattler has certainly done a good job of keeping the vehicle between the painted lines despite encountering many bumps in his football road. He'll aim to author a memorable chapter -- and perhaps earn some sweet revenge -- in the Windy City on Sunday.
