The Cincinnati Bengals offseason has been relatively quiet as the team did not make any major changes following the season. However, that has not kept Bengals players from speaking out or making headlines. With Bengals players making the Pro Bowl, they had the opportunity to speak with the media and reflect on the season and the rest of the NFL.
Bengals’ receiver Ja’Marr Chase did not hold back as he appeared to disrespect Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams while on The Pat McAfee Show. On the show, Chase called Caleb Williams Caleb “Daniels”, and then said, “I don’t know what the [expletive] his first name is. What’s the QB for the Bears?”
Now, Caleb Williams has taken to social media to respond.
Caleb Williams Responds to Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase
The Chicago Bears quarterback took to social media and reposted a post by a Bears fan captioned, “Oh how quickly Ja’Marr forgot this feeling from Caleb “Daniels “”. The post by the Bears fan included an image of Ja’Marr Chase following the Bears comeback win against the Bengals. During that Bengals loss, Chase was seen saying “One [expletive} stop” as they blew a 42-41 lead with fewer than 50 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
During that game, Caleb Williams threw for 280 passing yards and three touchdowns, while adding 53 rushing yards in the win. Meanwhile, Chase finished with 111 receiving yards on six receptions; however, he left with a bitter taste in his mouth as the Bengals dropped to 3-6 following that game.
Unfortunately for NFL fans, we will not see Williams and Chase go up against each other in 2026, as the two teams are not scheduled to play in the upcoming regular season. For now, the jabs will remain off the field.
Cincinnati Bengals’ Defense
That game seemingly encapsulated the Bengals season. Despite missing quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals offense was able to overcome his absence as backup quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 470 passing yards and four touchdowns. However, it was not enough as the Cincinnati defense failed to come through in the clutch.
The Bengals defense struggled all season, as they finished with the third-worst scoring defense in the NFL. The defense also struggled in the 2024 season, and it resulted in former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo getting fired. This year, the Bengals went with Al Golden as their defensive coordinator, but the team’s defense worsened. Despite that, head coach Zac Taylor announced that the team would be retaining its coaching staff.
In order for the Bengals defense to improve, they will have to make significant additions to the team and hope returning players are more familiar with Al Golden’s scheme. One resource the Bengals have is the draft, which is why NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks has the Bengals drafting Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with their first-round pick. Brooks wrote, “The defense has fallen apart since Jessie Bates III’s departure. In 2022, Bates’ final season with the team, Cincinnati ranked 16th in yards allowed, then dropped to 31st, 25th and 31st over the next three seasons. Adding a multifaceted playmaker to the lineup would go a long way to boosting this unit, and Downs is a high-IQ defender who excels near the box or in the deep half as a playmaking specialist.”
Caleb Williams Jabs Back at Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase After Disrespectful Gaffe