Caleb Williams' initial response to criticism about how he handled hamstring injury proves the criticism right
Caleb Williams is under scrutiny and even the target of some withering criticism for his reaction to the hamstring injury he suffered in Sunday's game for the Chicago Bears.
And Williams is fighting back!
Sort of.
Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears is carted off the field after an injury against the Minnesota Vikings during the third quarter at Soldier Field on Sept. 20, 2026, in Chicago, Ill. (Getty Images)
He's responding in a very Williams way that, sorry to say, kind of amplifies the point some folks are making about him.
So what's the criticism? Well, after he suffered what is considered a Grade 1 hamstring strain that has him officially week-to-week, according to coach Ben Johnson, Williams seemed to perhaps overreact in the moment.
He collapsed when the hamstring pulled and then could be heard screaming in agony on the field. People thought the issue was a major, major injury based on the quarterback's reaction.
It is reportedly a moderate injury at its worst.
People are also criticizing the way Williams left the field – on a cart, which is understandable, but giving a thumbs up sign to the crowd as if he was Kobe Bryant leaving the court when his Achilles snapped or Donald Trump leaving that stage in Butler, PA., after he was shot.
It was a hamstring injury.
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And social media being the cesspool of reaction it is, Williams is getting roasted for being weak or soft or whatever.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams grimaces in pain after going down during a run in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Dave Portnoy, of Barstool Sports is among those ripping Williams, calling him a "thespian" who acted like "both ACLs, MCLs and everything else," was injured although he only "tweaked his hammy."
Well, Williams disagrees and went after Portnoy on X.
But only a a round-about way.
Williams reposted someone else criticizing Portnoy. An account that goes by DAEMAR and has 1,700 followers laughed at Portnoy, claiming he had police arrest a college kid for throwing pennies at him and yet Portnoy is calling Williams soft. In fact, police independently arrested a college student who shouted an antisemitic remark and threw coins at Portnoy during a pizza review.
Williams reposted DAEMAR and it currently has 31,000 likes and 1.1 million views. But that's not the point.
The point is Williams let DAEMAR fight his battle and joined in. He did not confront Portnoy's online charges himself.
And maybe that's the smart way to do it. Why amplify the criticism?
Although Williams' repost amplifies the criticism as well as the response. But, that's how he rolls, apparently.
And he also did it in reposting Kei. She took to X to fight the battle against people portraying Williams as not masculine enough.
"The constant need to emasculate the dude is so strange," Kei's post reads. "Starting to think the people who do it are actually attracted to him and won’t be honest with themselves."
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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams nails were pained to raise awareness for suicide prevention. (David Banks/Imagn Images)
Remember, this was something Williams obviously read and shared. It suggests he agrees with this.
And maybe he is simply over the criticism that because he paints his nails and doesn't act a certain way after he's injured, that he isn't masculine.
But he did not go directly at the issue. He instead echoed someone else defending him instead of defending himself. And there's nothing really wrong with this approach.
But, in a weird sort of way, that approach advances the point critics have about Williams.
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