Former Heisman-winning QB drops 4-word comparison about Caleb Williams after Bears' Week 15 loss
Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears suffered a 30-12 division loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night. The rookie's first season in the NFL hasn't panned out the way he or anyone else had hoped, as the Bears are now 4-10 at the bottom of a highly competitive NFC North.
In the fourth quarter, after taking a hard hit from Minnesota's Jihad Ward, Williams was seen on the Chicago Bears' bench, nearly lying down. The photo quickly went viral, with many finding it "meme-worthy." One of those who reshared the post on X was former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Griffin joked that Williams was probably thinking he should have taken the same path as Eli Manning in the NFL draft.
"Shoulda pulled an Eli," Griffin wrote.
Eli Manning was originally drafted first overall by the LA Chargers but refused to play for the team, and was traded to the New York Giants.
Williams and the Chicago Bears have now lost eight consecutive games during a streak that also saw their coach, Matt Eberflus, dismissed.
Caleb Williams called rookie season 'frustrating' and 'encouraging'
Caleb Williams completed 18 of 31 passes for 191 passing yards and one touchdown against the Vikings. While the rookie has shown promise at times this season, there have also been moments of disappointment.
After Monday's loss, the eighth straight defeat for the Bears, Williams reflected on his rookie season with reporters:
"It's been frustrating and encouraging. I would say the frustrating part is obviously we're on a -- how many games now, eight? -- yeah, eight-game losing streak. Like I've said before, it's new to me. I haven't experienced anything like this. That's the frustrating part. The encouraging part is how much we fight as a team."
So far this season, Caleb Williams has thrown 2,937 passing yards and 17 touchdowns while being intercepted five times. The rookie has also rushed for 408 yards and has fumbled six times. He and the Bears will get a fresh start in 2025, with the hiring of a new coach and likely an entirely new coaching staff.