Caleb Williams’ rise in his second season in the NFL was dramatic. It was a rocky start, working with new head coach Ben Johnson for the first time, but by midseason the two had managed to combine Johnson’s demanding passing demands with Williams’ creativity, giving Chicago something truly special.
One way this manifested itself throughout 2025 was Williams’ incredible clutch-time ability, leading the Bears to six fourth-quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives. As a result, he began receiving the nickname “Iceman”, in reference to his cold nature with the game on the line. One problem: the original The “iceman” in sports is not happy.
“I’ve been the Iceman for over 40 years,” Gervin said. “I never thought anyone would try to record it. It was like I was left out of the box.”
Gervin earned the nickname in 1974 after being drafted by the Spurs into the NBA following several successful seasons in the ABA. Teammates and fans said Gervin’s loose, relaxed game was effortlessly cool; They also noted that no matter how intense a game was, Gervin apparently never broke a sweat while playing basketball, hence the nickname. Between 1977 and 1982, the Spurs guard won four NBA scoring titles, peaking in 1981-82, when Gervin averaged 33.1 points per game on 50% shooting. One of the best pure scorers in NBA history, Gervin was a nine-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team five years in a row during his peak.
After learning of Caleb Williams’ trademark attempt, Gervin moved to the “Iceman” trademark. It will now be up to the United States Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) to decide who will receive the nickname. There is precedent for the USPTO to grant trademarks to the individual who filed the first application (which would be Williams), but also to support subsequent filings if there has been a long-established history of use (which would be on Gervin’s side).
The battle over who owns “Iceman” is just beginning.
