Caleb Williams’ longtime girlfriend is Valery Orellana. Although the two strive to keep their relationship mostly off the radar, Ms. Orellana has been dragged into the spotlight lately.
After the recent hullabaloo concerning the release of video footage depicting Williams with pink accessories at a USC Trojans Women’s NCAA Tournament basketball game, photos of Ms. Orellana went viral.
After Some Fans Were Bothered That Caleb Williams Was Rocking a Pink Phone and Nails, Viral Photos of His Girlfriend Valery Orellana Hit the Net (Pics-IG Posts) https://t.co/ePGWDHqisp pic.twitter.com/y3TODsaLlt
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) March 28, 2024
— Gabagool (@Robert4edward) March 26, 2024
“Pinkgate”: Caleb Williams Accessorizing in Pink
As previously reported in Gridiron Heroics, Williams went to a women’s NCAA Tournament game between his alma mater and the Kansas Jayhakws on March 25, 2024. While at the game, Williams was filmed holding a pink smartphone and a clutch, and apparently also donning pink fingernail polish. The video footage went viral.
Some were bothered by the image of Williams with pink accessories, and they voiced their disapproval. One such individual is former All-Pro wide receiver Cole Beasley.
In the words of Sports Illustrated, Beasley stoked controversy by insisting “that Williams’ fingernails [and/or pink accessories] are somehow associated with homosexuality, transsexuality, and pedophilia.”
Supporters of Williams cracked back, displaying photos online of Williams’ attractive, long-time girlfriend, Ms. Orellana.
Who Is Valery Orellana?
A fair amount of reporting is now available concerning Ms. Orellana.
Pro Football Network offers the following background information:
“Orellana entered the public eye when she went “social media official” with her beau in her senior year of high school in 2020 on the couple’s prom night.
“Williams was a big deal in high school, at least [in the Washington, D.C. area], since 2018, when he led his team to victory for the first time in 17 seasons, taking the Washington Athletic Catholic Conference football title.
“The QB attended Gonzaga College High School, a private Jesuit high school that is an all-boys institution.
“Naturally, he had to look beyond his high school to find a lady for a date. It’s not clear how the young lovebirds met since Orellana attended Richard Montgomery High School in Maryland.
“Even if their meeting is unclear, their bond is obvious despite the couple keeping the ins and outs of their relationship private.
“Williams’ significant other has athletics in common with her boyfriend. She played field hockey in high school.
“It’s been a couple of years now, and the couple remains strong, but Orellana has made a name for herself beyond her boyfriend.”
Pro Football Network continues its biographical sketch of Ms. Orellana:
“Orellana’s LinkedIn profile also reveals that she is Salvadorian-American and bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish.
“The former DMV native [i.e., native of the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area] attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is getting her bachelor of arts in journalism with a minor in business.”
The Sun reports:
“[When Mr. Williams and Ms. Orellana went Instagram official,] Caleb captioned the photo: ‘Young Angel and Young Lion, you know what it is!’
“A native of Rockville, Maryland, Valery is a sports enthusiast just like her football-star boyfriend….
“The pair like to keep their relationship out of the spotlight and rarely share pictures of themselves on social media.
Ms. Orellana is involved in an organization called Evenin’ Out The Playing Field. According to her LinkedIn, the organization is dedicated to “targeting people of color to participate in predominately white sports to increase diversity and inclusion with free clinics that bridge the gap of accessibility.”
Ms. Orellana and Mr. Williams have been described as a philanthropic power couple.
As Mr. Williams prepares to become the #1 overall selection by the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft, stay tuned to Gridiron Heroics for continuing coverage of his and Mr. Orellana’s dramatic journey.
For more related sports news, focused primarily on the USC Trojans, SMU Mustangs, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Rams, please follow me at @vshjah_Victor.
