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Another former NFL QB takes shot at Bears’ Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams has become a popular target of criticism from former NFL quarterbacks, including the latest tirade from Matt Hasselbeck.

Published

6 months ago

July 2, 2025

Bryan Perez

Why the Hall of Fame Game will be great for Caleb Williams, Bears (News)

(Kamil Krzaczynski / USA Today)

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams can’t catch a break.

The 2024 first-overall pick entered the NFL with as much hype as any QB prospect since Andrew Luck, and the fire he’s been under since his first snap comes with that territory. But his rookie season has been unfairly labeled as a disappointment, despite throwing for the fifth-most single-season yardage total in Bears history, 20 touchdowns, and a rookie record-setting streak of pass attempts without an interception.

But, hey, why talk about the positive? Negativity sells, and Matt Hasselbeck was the latest veteran quarterback to take unnecessary shots at Chicago’s QB1.

“Sacks hurt your team. They hurt your offensive line, they hurt morale, they hurt your body, but it’s also very bad on the defense,” Hasselbeck said in a recent appearance on The Herd. “… I thought if we were assigning blame to why there were so many sacks last year in Chicago, the majority of the sacks were not the fault of the offensive line. They were the fault of the young quarterback.”

“The majority of the sacks were not the fault of the offensive line, they were the fault of the young QB… that’s an area he NEEDS to improve on.”@Hasselbeck and @ColinCowherd want Caleb Williams to cut his sacks in half next season. pic.twitter.com/HR5ujvKlEH

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 30, 2025

OK, fine, blaming a rookie for taking too many sacks isn’t anything new. In fact, it’s part of a young passer’s learning curve. Caleb Williams took his bumps and bruises — and he was certainly culpable for some of them. However, his offensive line was atrocious, and the Bears were well aware of it. That’s why they invested so much effort into fixing it this offseason.

Joe Thuney? Jonah Jackson? Drew Dalman? Ozzy Trapilo? Yep, trades, free agency, and the NFL Draft were all dedicated toward fixing an offensive line that surrendered 68 sacks. So while it’s true that some of the blame belongs to Williams, anyone who paid attention to this team in 2024 — including Ryan Poles — knew how bad the O-line was.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The really bothersome part of Hasselbeck’s comments on Williams was when he attacked his leadership.

“Number two for me would probably be overall leadership,” Hasselbeck said. “We’re looking at you. I mentioned body language. That bothers me. That really bothered me how he handled that last year.”

READ: Did the Bears overpay for one of their biggest 2025 free-agent signings?

Did I miss something? Did I miss a moment where Williams looked like a Diva? When did he look like a crybaby? When did he appear to be unable to lead an NFL franchise?

Sure, there were moments when he looked perplexed and had, as Ben Johnson put it, those palms-up moments. But there was no moment during the 2024 season that I had any concern about Williams” ability to lead the Bears. And remember: He was treading shark-infested waters on his own. The coaching staff was incompetent. It’s why they were fired.

Let’s recap. A rookie quarterback joins a team with a horrendous offensive line and an unqualified coaching staff, yet manages to put up respectable numbers and set an impressive rookie QB record. He makes every start despite being sacked 68 times and leads his overmatched team on several should-have-been game-winning drives, including what would’ve been a signature moment toppling Jayden Daniels in Week 8 if it wasn’t for the Fail Mary (last I checked, that’s not Williams’ fault). And, let’s not forget how much of a factor he played in Ben Johnson wanting to become the coach of the Chicago Bears.

Maybe ex-QBs like Hasselbeck know the best way to stay relevant in NFL media right now is by attacking the Bears. It clicks well. Guys like me write about it. Mission accomplished.

But Bears fans know better. And they’ll have the last laugh.