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Caleb Williams Foundation Delivers Signed Jersey to Pope Leo XIV
The Caleb Cares Foundation arranged delivery of a signed No. 18 jersey to Pope Leo XIV on July 4, 2026. The white jersey does not match current Chicago Bears uniforms. Yardbarker.com reported the event coordinated through U.S. diplomatic channels.
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The Caleb Cares Foundation arranged for U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch to deliver a signed No. 18 jersey to Pope Leo XIV on July 4, 2026. Yardbarker.com reported the delivery occurred through official diplomatic channels.
Caleb Williams earned the Madden 27 cover athlete selection after a breakout sophomore season in which he set franchise records, threw 27 touchdowns, and led the Bears to an 11-6 record and a playoff win. The foundation, dedicated to eliminating bullying, increasing mental health awareness, and empowering underdogs, coordinated the gesture.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, Illinois, is a lifelong Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox fan.
He was elected the 267th Supreme Pontiff in May 2025. The delivered jersey is white and does not match any uniform the Bears currently wear. A prominent rapper publicly criticized Williams for appearing on the Madden 27 cover with painted fingernails.
Williams did not respond publicly. The Bears enter Year 2 of the Ben Johnson era.
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