Caleb Williams Hamstring Injury: What It Means for the Chicago Bears And Their New Starting Quarterback
The Chicago Bears’ Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings was disappointing enough.
Then came the moment that could have much bigger implications for the rest of Chicago’s season.
With just over seven minutes remaining in Sunday’s 9-3 loss at Soldier Field, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams went down with a right hamstring injury while scrambling toward the end zone on a first-and-goal play.
It was a non-contact injury. Williams immediately grabbed his right leg and went down in obvious pain. He was helped from the field by medical personnel before being carted to the locker room.
The Bears have not yet announced the severity of the injury. Head coach Ben Johnson said after the game that the team should know more Monday following further evaluation.
“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee,” Johnson said. “That was my first inclination. But a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well.”
Caleb Williams suffers injury vs. Minnesota today. (Video via FOX NFL/X)
Williams was in good spirits after the game and reportedly walked without crutches. Still, the Bears and their fans will be anxiously waiting for Monday’s update.
Caleb Williams By The Numbers Sunday
Williams didn’t have the explosive afternoon he had in Chicago’s 59-point Week 1 victory over Carolina, but he was still a major part of the Bears’ offense before leaving.
He finished:
- 15-of-26 passing
- 138 passing yards
- 1 interception
- 5 rushing attempts
- 42 rushing yards
The Bears were trailing just 6-3 when Williams was injured and were driving toward what could have been a go-ahead touchdown.
Instead, the drive stalled after Williams left the game, and Chicago’s potential game-tying 23-yard field-goal attempt was blocked. The Vikings eventually held on for the 9-3 victory, dropping Chicago to 1-1 on the season.
Enter backup QB Tyson Bagent.
Bagent stepped in Sunday and completed 5-of-9 passes for 54 yards. He nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback, driving Chicago inside Minnesota’s 12-yard line in the final seconds before Vikings pass rusher Dallas Turner sacked him on the final play of the game.
If Williams is ruled out for a period of time, Bagent wouldn’t be in completely unfamiliar territory. Bagent started four games for Chicago during the 2023 season, going 2-2 in those starts.
Now, however, the stakes would be dramatically different.
Bagent wouldn’t simply be filling in for a few games during a long NFL season. If Williams’ hamstring injury keeps him sidelined, Bagent could suddenly find himself responsible for keeping the Bears’ 2026 season on track.
For now, though, Bears fans are left waiting.
The MRI and Monday’s medical evaluation could tell us a whole lot about where Chicago goes from here.
Stay tuned to Sports Odds Digest for the latest updates on Caleb Williams’ injury.
