Eleven games into the best season of his career, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is still taking some by surprise — including Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Following Darnold’s 330-yard, two-touchdown performance that included an 83-yard scoring drive to clinch a 30-27 overtime win at Soldier Field on November 24, Williams spoke a little too candidly in his postgame news conference.
In his praise of Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, who offered the Bears quarterback a few words of encouragement after the game, Williams inadvertently slighted Darnold, to many Vikings fans’ chagrin.
“Met [O’Connell] at the draft and all these different things, so when someone comes over to you, that’s having guys, Sam Darnold even, out there balling. He’s been a great coach so far, I believe, and those encouraging words are important,” Williams said.
Sam Darnold catching strays💀
Fans React to Caleb Williams’ ‘Backhanded Comment’ Toward Sam Darnold
GettyVikings quarterback Sam Darnold and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams
Williams’ comment went viral on social media after the game, with both Bears and Vikings fans chiming in.
“Kind of disrespectful for him to frame it that way. Sam Darnold does have a legitimately high ceiling when he’s not turning the ball over,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “He’s not a dink and dunk guy, and he played a better game then Caleb.”
kind of disrespectful for him to frame it that way. Sam Darnold does have a legitimately high ceiling when he’s not turning the ball over. He’s not a dink and dunk guy, and he played a better game then Caleb.
— Jack (@blursed_skol) November 25, 2024
Another Vikings fan found the comment “backhanded” and called it “bulletin board” material for the teams’ Week 15 rematch.
“Backhanded comment towards Sam,” the fan wrote. “This ends up on a bulletin board for the upcoming game in Minneapolis. F this punk.”
Backhanded comment towards Sam. This ends up on a bulletin board for the upcoming game in Minneapolis. F this punk.
— Herman Skaboczyk (@Toddburkha42747) November 25, 2024
Admittedly, Williams’ comment captures that Darnold did come out of nowhere after floundering as a backup the past couple of seasons.
“Hes not lying,” one Bears fan wrote. “Everyone thought sams career was over.”
@BrightSideBears Hes not lying. Everyone thought sams career was over
While many observers found Williams’ words innocent enough, it was a slip-up that harkens back to the beginning of the season when Darnold was the punchline of many national talk shows that picked the Vikings to finish last in the NFC North.
Look who’s laughing now.
@gerry60981300 He definitely didn’t it’s just a funny slip up
Vikings, Sam Darnold Finding Full Form During Final Stretch of the Season
GettySam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings on the field after beating the Tennessee Titans.
The Vikings may have played with their food at Soldier Field, allowing the Bears to come back from an 11-point deficit in the final two minutes of the game to force overtime.
However, it was another game that can be debated as Darnold’s best performance of the season as the 27-year-old quarterback threw for a season-high 330 yards. He surpassed 20 passing touchdowns on the season for the first time in his career. And most importantly, he did not turn the ball over.
Minnesota is still looking for a complete game, but a divisional road win to close the month of November with four straight wins is what the team needs to enter the final stretch of the season.
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Vikings Fans Slam Caleb Williams for ‘Backhanded’ Sam Darnold Comment