Caleb Williams went down on Sunday with what turned out to be a hamstring injury. Initially, it was feared that he’d possibly torn his Achilles or ACL based on how he went down without being touched. His emotional reaction on the turf and crying while being carted to the locker room received instant backlash once it became clear it was a grade 1 strain. Among those eager to call Williams a drama queen for his reaction were some former players.
Will Compton, a former linebacker who spent 9 seasons in the league, blasted the quarterback for getting carted off for a hamstring problem. That is unacceptable. Tough guys don’t allow it. Compton didn’t wait long for a response as former Bears guard Kyle Long fired back. As somebody whose own career was drastically shortened by injuries, the last thing Williams needs or deserves is to be lectured by somebody.
Compton wasn’t the only one trashing Caleb Williams.
Emmanuel Acho, another former linebacker who spent all of two seasons in the NFL, has become a prominent media voice for whatever reason. He, too, questioned Williams’ reaction to the injury. Taking a cart and crying on the way to the locker room is reserved for guys who know their season is over. Williams had no right to do all of those theatrics and then casually walk out of the stadium.
As with Compton, it didn’t take long for Acho to get a response. This time, it came from former Super Bowl champion running back Leonard Fournette and Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry. They called Acho out for having no concept of what real athletes put their bodies through to prepare for those games. Telling someone how to cope with an injury is laughable. Acho’s comments are seen for what they are: engagement farming.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
If all of that weren’t enough, Caleb Williams got an additional show of support from Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. As somebody who hates all quarterbacks, he believes the criticism of Williams is silly. He speaks from experience. Crosby injured his hamstring before. The effect it can have on the body is unnerving. Things stop working as they should. You start wondering if your career is in jeopardy. It’s emotional stuff. Don’t begrudge somebody who loves the game for being afraid of losing what he loves.
Former benchwarmers getting smacked down by better players is a delight.
Always keep in mind which players are doing the talking. If you’re getting called out by the best in the game, that is a red flag. In this case, Williams was getting grief from two guys who host their own shows. It’s hard to call their comments genuine and not a blatant attempt to take advantage of the social media frenzy surrounding the quarterback’s injury. You know it’s bad when other current and former players, all of them significantly better than you, call you out for being hacks.
Not that Williams cares. He’s aware of the noise, but unlike some other people, he uses it to fuel his motivation to succeed. If anything, he is glad guys like Compton and Acho keep chirping. It only feeds the fire. It’s just nice to see that several players who have actual reputations worth respecting have his back.
