Bears’ Caleb Williams: ‘Iceman’ trademark application is to protect my business interests

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams admitted to not knowing that his “Iceman” nickname was shared by former basketball star George Gervin, but said he will continue trying to trademark his name on apparel to protect his own business interests.

Williams addressed the matter in a video interview posted Friday by Front Office Sports. Williams said he wasn’t crazy at first about the nickname given to him by his teammates after his cold-as-ice comebacks during the Bears' 11-6 season. He figured the nickname made sense, given Chicago’s frigid temperatures.

Last month, Williams applied for a trademark on the nickname for the purposes of apparel. Gervin, a four-time professional scoring champion with the San Antonio Spurs, applied for a similar trademark days later. He has been called “Iceman” since before Williams was born.

In an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times, Gervin said he meant no disrespect to the Bears quarterback, but that he was the “Iceman” when it came to sports.

Williams didn’t rule out speaking with Gervin in the future.

“It’s all respect for George,” he said.

Williams told Front Office Sports that it was important for him, and also for other athletes such as Gervin, to be in charge their own business interests, rather than allowing others to produce apparel with their name on it with no financial consequences. That's why, he said, Williams was applying for the trademark.

“It’s just to control that aspect of it,” he said.

The trademark processing is expected to take months before Williams finds out whether it will be approved.