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Bears' Caleb Williams May Lose 'Iceman' Moniker to an NBA Legend

There's no doubt that Caleb Williams' nickname is well-earned, but the original Iceman wants it back.
Pete Martuneac|
David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Younger fans of the Chicago Bears, those young Millennials and Gen-Z fans, may be surprised to learn that quarterback Caleb Williams is not the first pro athlete to be called 'Iceman'. NBA legend George Gervin, a nine-time NBA All-Star and 1996 inductee to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, was known as the Iceman for his cool demeanor when the stakes were highest (sound familiar?) and for his silky-smooth finger roll layup. Now, with news that Caleb Williams is trademarking the Iceman title, George Gervin is fighting back.

According to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times, George Gervin is disputing Caleb Williams' Iceman trademark, alleging that the moniker should be his to use since he was known as the Iceman as far back as 1979. Caleb Williams has filed for four trademarks related to the Iceman nickname (the name, a logo, and two silhouettes), prompting George Gervin to file two: "Iceman" and "Iceman44", in reference to Gervin's jersey number when he was with the San Antonio Spurs.

According to Finley, if Williams is granted his trademarks, Gervin plans to contest the matter to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Older Bears fans may still think of George Gervin when they hear 'Iceman'

Gervin has a strong case. As Gerald Barisano, the President and CEO of Gervin Global Management, has said, "All [the trademark inspectors] got to do is do one Google search, and they'll see hundreds and hundreds of articles on the 'Iceman,' George Gervin." Indeed, if the inspectors are old enough, they likely had Gervin's famous Iceman poster hanging on their bedroom wall when they were kids.

Bears fans who are old enough to remember watching George Gervin play, or even those who remember their dads and older siblings talking about him, probably had trouble calling Williams the Iceman last season, even as he proved to have ice in his veins over and over again. The impact that Gervin had on the game of basketball was undeniable, and those older fans likely still remember how they used to emulate Gervin's finger roll layup while playing basketball with their friends.

George Gervin will always be an NBA legend, but this is Caleb Williams' time

While I understand where Gervin is coming from and why he would want to keep another athlete from profiting off a nickname that was his for so long, it's been 40 years since Gervin last played in an NBA game. Kids and young adults today have no memories of his late-game heroics.

Williams, on the other hand, is just getting started and has already delivered several legacy-defining moments in the clutch. In the age of social media and widespread sharing of clips and highlights, one could argue that Williams only needs one more season with the nickname before he's the one that most people think of first when they hear the name, Iceman.

Gervin can argue that his nickname came first, and even that's debatable, as Chicago Bears legend Red Grange was called "The Wheaton Iceman" in the 1920's. What he can't argue is that Williams earned that moniker fair and square after the Bears' wild comeback win over the Packers last December. He is the Iceman of Chicago, and having been born a couple of decades after Gervin shouldn't preclude him from using that name.

The Bottom Line

Make no mistake: Gervin respects Williams as a professional athlete, telling the Chicago Sun-Times, "I've got nothing but respect for [Williams]. He's already proved greatness and his potential upside is great. Like an 'Iceman.' But that name is taken." For Gervin, this is simply business, and not a matter of the old athlete begrudging the young superstar.

But Iceman is hardly an original nickname. It's not like Pete Maravich's "Pistol Pete" or Michael Jordan's "Air Jordan" monikers. These nicknames used part of their legal names and were a reference to specific attributes that made them famous. Any athlete who delivers in the game's biggest moments could be called the Iceman. It just happened to stick with Caleb Williams.

George Gervin is a legend, and he deserved every accolade that came his way. But there's a new Iceman in town, and he's creating a legacy of his own.

Caleb William
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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