Bears’ Caleb Williams Carted Off With Right Hamstring Injury Against Vikings/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was carted to the locker room after suffering a right hamstring injury against Minnesota. Coach Ben Johnson expressed relief that Williams had not injured his knee but said further evaluation would determine the hamstring injury’s severity. Backup Tyson Bagent finished the 9-3 loss and said he is prepared to start if Williams misses time.
Quick Look
- Caleb Williams injured his right hamstring during a fourth-quarter scramble.
- He was helped from the wet Soldier Field turf and taken away on a cart.
- Williams encouraged the crowd by pumping his right arm while leaving.
- Coach Ben Johnson said the injury did not involve Williams’ knee.
- Chicago had not announced a recovery timetable.
- Williams completed 15 of 26 passes for 138 yards with one interception.
- Tyson Bagent replaced him and completed 5 of 9 passes for 54 yards.
- Minnesota defeated Chicago 9-3.
- The Bears fell to 1-1 after scoring 59 points in their season opener.
Deep Look
Williams suffers hamstring injury on scramble
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams left Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings after injuring his right hamstring during a fourth-quarter scramble.
Williams was running deep inside Minnesota territory with about 7½ minutes remaining when he went down on the rain-soaked field. The quarterback remained on the ground, immediately alarming his teammates.
“I’ve never seen him go down like that and be down like that,” receiver Rome Odunze said. “He usually pops back up. I’ve seen him pop back up from hits, all sorts of things. So definitely not a great feeling but instantly praying for him and know he’s going to be back as soon as he can.”
Team personnel helped Williams off the field before he was placed on a cart. A towel was initially draped over his head, but he removed it and pumped his right arm to encourage the subdued Soldier Field crowd.
The Bears officially classified the injury as a right hamstring issue. Early reporting indicated optimism that it might not be severe, but the team had not publicly announced an injury grade or recovery timetable. Reuters
Bears relieved injury did not involve Williams’ knee
Coach Ben Johnson said Williams appeared to be in good spirits when he saw him after the game.
“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee,” Johnson said. “That was my first inclination. But yeah, a hamstring can be pretty damaging as well. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there. It’s quickly you’ve got to turn the page.”
Williams was reportedly walking without crutches in the locker room after the game. Further evaluation and imaging were expected to clarify the severity of the injury and whether he would miss any games.
Difficult afternoon follows record-setting opener
Before leaving, Williams completed 15 of 26 passes for 138 yards and an interception. He added 42 rushing yards on five carries.
The performance represented a sharp reversal from Chicago’s 59-37 season-opening victory over Carolina. Against the Panthers, Williams completed 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 65 yards and two more scores.
The 59 points represented the highest-scoring season opener in Bears history.
Williams entered his third NFL season after setting a franchise record with 3,942 passing yards during the previous campaign. He threw 27 touchdown passes with seven interceptions while leading Chicago to the NFC North title in Johnson’s first season as head coach.
Teammates call Williams the offense’s engine
Wide receiver Luther Burden said losing Williams was particularly painful because Chicago appeared close to scoring a touchdown.
“It hurts man. I thought we had a touchdown,” Burden said. “To see him go down, I mean he’s the heart and soul and the engine of this team. Hopefully he’s OK and he’ll get back out there.”
Chicago trailed 6-3 when Williams left before a second-and-goal play from the Minnesota 6-yard line.
Bagent replaced him and completed a 1-yard pass to running back D’Andre Swift. His third-down pass was incomplete, prompting Johnson to send kicker Cairo Santos onto the field.
Isaiah Rodgers blocked Santos’ 23-yard attempt, preventing Chicago from tying the game.
“We needed points desperately at that point and, you know, it’s a shame,” Johnson said.
Bagent unable to complete comeback
Bagent led Chicago deep into Vikings territory again during the Bears’ final possession.
The drive ended when Dallas Turner sacked him on the final play. Bagent finished 5 of 9 for 54 yards in relief.
“Last play, yeah, it got kind of hairy for me but unacceptable on my end,” Bagent said. “But you’ve got to at least give someone a chance. You’ve got to be better executing when we get down at the end.”
The Bears failed to score a touchdown one week after producing a franchise-record offensive performance in their opener.
Bagent prepared if Williams misses time
Bagent would be the likely starter if Williams is unavailable.
The 26-year-old quarterback signed with Chicago as an undrafted free agent in May 2023 following a record-setting career at Division II Shepherd University.
He appeared in five games and made four starts as a rookie, passing for 859 yards and three touchdowns with six interceptions. Chicago signed him to a two-year contract extension in August 2025.
“I feel great,” Bagent said. “I feel like I have a good team around me, good coaching staff, so I’m ready to roll.”
Williams’ availability remains uncertain
Although initial reports provided some reason for optimism, Williams’ status will depend on medical testing and how his hamstring responds in the days following the injury.
Hamstring injuries can vary substantially in severity, making an official diagnosis important before estimating a possible return date. The Bears had not confirmed whether Williams would be available for their next game as of the latest update.
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