On Monday night, ESPN analyst and former NFL star quarterback Troy Aikman voiced his concern for Caleb Williams, who appeared physically and mentally strained during the Chicago Bears’ 20-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The defeat marked the Bears’ eighth consecutive loss and dropped their season record to 4-11.
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, endured a difficult night both on the field and on the sideline.
After taking a punishing hit to the ribs from Vikings linebacker Jihad Ward, Williams was seen slumped over on the Bears’ bench in visible discomfort.
Aikman, during the broadcast, acknowledged the physical toll on the rookie but also noted the broader psychological challenges Williams seems to be facing.
“As I watch him, you can tell that he’s a defeated guy,’ Aikman said. “I mentioned that he hasn’t been through anything like this at any point in his career. What you worry about is a rookie quarterback losing confidence.”
Williams’ struggles on Monday were evident in his stat line.
He completed just 58 percent of his passes for 191 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.
Over the season, the former USC and Oklahoma standout has thrown 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions, but he’s also been sacked 58 times – a league-high.
One of the knocks on Williams in college was that too often he would abandon a play, scramble out of the pocket and revert to playing sandlot football.
That type of play-style can sometimes work in college, but it’s a recipe to disaster in the NFL.
While the physical punishment has been substantial, Aikman emphasized the unfamiliarity of losing for Williams, who enjoyed tremendous success in his high school and college careers.
“I was 0-11 as a starter and he’s had a much better rookie season than I had,” Aikman said. “He was grimacing and in an enormous amount of pain. When you watch him, you can tell that he’s a defeated guy.”
Williams compiled a 23-10 record as a college starter and led his high school team to a district championship. But the grueling pace of an NFL season has seemingly taken its toll on the young quarterback.
Adding to the discussion, FOX Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho criticized Williams’ body language after the footage of him slumped on the bench surfaced online.
“It doesn’t look good for the passer,” Acho said.
Of course, Williams has plenty of critics. He’s a unique personality and some of his antics have rubbed people the wrong way.
Many continue to bring up the fact that he told rookie punter Tory Taylor that he’s “not going to punt too much” in Chicago.
Needless to say, that comment is aging very poorly thus far.
The broadcast also sparked concern for Aikman himself, as viewers noted his bloodshot eyes in the booth – a detail that has drawn attention multiple times this year.
Despite the distraction, Aikman’s analysis struck a chord with fans who empathize with the challenges facing Williams.
Every young quarterback goes through growing pains. Every single one of them. There are no exceptions.
Perhaps Williams will grow from all of this adversity and become better because of it … Or perhaps he’ll end up being a complete bust.
What are your thoughts on Williams’ rookie season? … Did the Bears make a major mistake drafting him???
