Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams made a strong statement following his team’s emphatic victory over the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on “Monday Night Football” in Week 8.
The league has fined Williams twice for wearing Caddix cleats, which bucks the league’s agreements with the Nike, Adidas and Under Armour brands. NFL players are free to wear cleats from other companies, but only if the logo is covered.
The Bears QB ate a fine of nearly $12,000 for sporting a different brand in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons, while the league bumped that fine to just shy of $24,000 for his decision to do so again the following game against the New England Patriots.
Williams spoke about his footwear decisions after the team’s Week 8 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks at Lumen Field, during which he blanked out the logo on his cleats to comply with league rules.
“Just to calm things down, man,” Williams said of his decision. “It was a big week and not here to create any [expletive] towards the team. You know, I want to keep that to a minimum from my side. Obviously, I get a lot of media. And so just trying to minimize that as much as possible.”
Caleb Williams Played Within Himself, Led Bears to Win Over Seahawks on MNF
Williams received plenty of attention for his play in the Bears’ 34-17 drubbing of the Seahawks on “Monday Night Football.”
The Bears quarterback finished the night with a stat line that included 24-of-34 passing for 247 yards and one TD in yet another constrained, but elite, performance against the top-ranked defense in the league.
Chicago moved to 6-2 on the year after the victory and firmly entrenched itself as a Super Bowl contender at the midway point of the campaign. Williams showed restraint and an expert understanding of head coach Ben Johnson’s offense, as his team won its third game in a row since the starting QB returned from a hamstring injury that held him out for three consecutive contests.
Bears Entering Stretch of Regular Season That Could See Them Take Lead in NFC North Division
Chicago now plays on a short week, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading to Soldier Field for a critical Week 9 matchup just six days from now.
The Bears have their bye in Week 10 before returning to the gridiron for a matchup with the New Orleans Saints on November 22.
Chicago will have just four days after that contest to prepare for a nationally televised contest against the NFC North Division rival Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Thanksgiving Day.
Bears’ Caleb Williams Sounds Off on NFL Punishment After Seahawks Win