Caleb Williams’ painted nails sparked considerable attention when fans began to notice them. There was quite a bit of excitement over the college quarterback sporting colored nails. While for fans it was a fresh sight, for Williams, it was an ongoing practice he had embraced since his junior year in high school.
In a discussion with the St.Brown brothers on their podcast, Caleb Williams shared that his mother was the one who initially inspired him to embellish his nails. As a nail technician, she often worked on others’ nails while he was growing up, introducing him to nail care at a young age.
However, he didn’t begin having his own nails done until junior high, when he accompanied his girlfriend to a nail salon. He enjoyed the experience, and from that point, it became a regular part of his routine.
“My mom actually did nails when I was younger like she would do other people’s nails at the house. I’d see it but I wasn’t getting my nails done then. Then I grew up and I was dating this other girl and went to the nail salon and got my nails done. I was like I kind of vibe with this. It kind of became my thing.”
Caleb Williams’ unique nail art didn’t attract significant media interest until his second college year.
Throughout the season, he enjoys painting and decorating his nails, reserving this practice for the football months to ensure he doesn’t run out of innovative ideas.
For Williams, his nails are a form of self-expression, and he takes great pride in keeping them looking their best—distinctive, striking, and unforgettable. He makes sure the designs and messages are appealing and interesting, maintaining a careful regimen that includes regular manicures and pedicures. Interestingly, his enthusiasm for nail care came before his interest in painting them.
His journey into nail art started with one painted nail and progressively grew as he enjoyed trying out new styles. Nonetheless, the USC alumnus decided against painting his nails for every game this year due to the team’s challenges and recurring losses, preferring not to attract more negative attention.
“This year I didn’t do every game. I was trying to still deal with the schedule and all of that. I chilled out when we started losing. I was like, I probably don’t want to do this right now plus it takes time,” he explained.
Williams also noted that his conditioning and treatment routines occupied much of his time, posing scheduling difficulties that made it challenging to focus on nail art during the season. Looking ahead, he’s already contemplating his designs for the next year, now that he has become more adept at managing his schedule effectively.
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