Bear Digest

Caleb Williams Gets Endorsement After Talk He Was 'Little Brothered'

Postgame words from C.J. Stroud for Caleb Williams stirred up thoughts he was somehow "little brothering" the Bears QB when it was the opposite.
Gene Chamberlain|
C.J. Stroud wanted to clarify Wednesday that his words in postgame were meant only as encouragement for Caleb Williams.
C.J. Stroud wanted to clarify Wednesday that his words in postgame were meant only as encouragement for Caleb Williams. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

C.J. Stroud is apparently a big backer of Caleb Williams, although what he told the Bears quarterback after Sunday's Texans win apparently was misconstrued by some to mean the exact opposite.

Stroud took the occasion of his Wednesday press conference to explain his words to Williams after the Texans' win were not meant to put himself on a higher level or to "little brother" Williams.

He knows I have a ton of respect for him," Stroud told reporters on Wednesday in Houston. "I told him I have respect for him."

After the game, Stroud was caught on mics saying, "Good job out there bro. Hey, stop taking those hits."

When Williams started to back away, Stroud said, "Look, come here. Learn from those mistakes and everything that you got is in you already bro. You're going to be a hell of a player in this league."

Williams seemed to want to maintain a distance but Stroud on Wednesday said he understood why.

"I don't think he was trying to like, be any (way) toward me—he was just upset they lost," Stroud told reporters. "I totally understand."

CALEB WILLIAMS URGED TO FORGET POOR START

DJ MOORE'S REACTIONS SAY IT ALL ABOUT BEARS PASSING GAME

MORE BEARS NEWS AND VIDEOS

Stroud said he felt the need to give Williams a confidence boos because of what he went through as a rookie last year.

"I had so many guys come to me after games last year and that meant the world to me that those guys even thought about giving me advice," Stroud said.

"So I just try to give back to the game that gave it to me. I wish him the best, man, I want him to do amazing in this league. I think he will. I think he'll get his groove

once you get your rhythm. I didn't get my rhythm until, like, Week 3 or Week 4. So I cans see his game picking up from here."

Williams after the game confirmed he wasn't in any mood for talks after the game.

"We shook hands at the end of the game, said good luck, stay healthy, that was about it," Williams said.

Williams had other things on his mind then.

"I was just trying to figure out what areas was I off, what areas were we off, to have this outcome that we have," Williams said. "Which is not winning the day.

"That's kind of the process that was going through my mind immediately after the game. We're excited about this week coming up and we're excited about all of that but obviously we're feeling the
'It sucks to lose.' "

BearsOnSI

Published | Modified
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.