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No American sports league sells hope quite like the NFL. In fact, the NFL's entire business model is constructed around telling every fanbase of a lousy team
that their squad can turn its fortunes around with one productive offseason. At the center of selling that snake oil - most awful teams have been consistently horrible for decades is the annual draft.
An important decision from presumed 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams could throw this whole plan for a loop.
In a new GQ profile, Williams and his father, Carl, discussed the uncertainty of the next phase of the USC star quarterback's career.
Because of the nature of the NFL draft, Williams won't get the opportunity to pick where he wants to play at the next level.
He will, in all likelihood, play for the NFL's worst team. And for as gifted as the USC superstar is, Williams' father asserted that nothing is guaranteed in the pros.
Even the best quarterbacks can be ruined by terrible team situations.
As such, Williams - a player many are already labeling a generational, franchise-changing prospect - might return to USC instead of entering the 2024 draft.
That's great news for Williams and his family if they dislike the team with the top pick.
That's bad news for the NFL, which loves selling parity and hope and pawning off talents like Williams to squads ( hello, Arizona Cardinals!) that would readily throw him into the football meat grinder.
More from GQ: "I mean, I've [Williams' dad] talked to Archie Manning-his career was shot because he went to a horrible organization.
I've talked to Lincoln [Riley], and Kyler [Murray] struggled because of where he was drafted. Baker [Mayfield] struggled mightily because of where he was drafted.
The organizations matter." And there's a break-in-case-of-emergency option that Carl is keeping in mind.
"He's got two shots at the apple," he says. "So if there's not a good situation, the truth is, he can come back to school."