Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is unlikely to start Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles after injuring his right hamstring, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport said Tuesday.
“It certainly seems like Caleb Williams is unlikely to start this week and next week we will see,” Rapoport said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “2-4 weeks is generally the diagnosis for these kind of hamstring injuries.”
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, left Sunday’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings after a non-contact scramble on a first-and-goal play from the six-yard line in the fourth quarter. He grabbed his right leg, needed assistance off the wet Soldier Field turf and was carted to the locker room.
The 24-year-old later walked under his own power and pumped his fist toward a crowd of 58,914 as rain fell. Backup Tyson Bagent finished the game.
Coach Ben Johnson said Monday that Williams is week-to-week and will likely miss some time. Johnson said he does not expect Williams to practice this week but did not officially rule him out for the Monday night matchup.
“This guy is a little bit different than the average human being,” Johnson said. “He gets back — or he has in the past — a lot faster than what people anticipate. I’m not putting a timeline on this.”
Johnson also called the MRI report “somewhat encouraging” and said Williams is “working through every avenue that he’s got available to get back on track.”
Williams has started all 36 of his regular-season games since Chicago selected him first overall out of USC. He has not missed a start in his NFL career.
This season he has completed 36 of 55 passes for 407 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for a 92.0 passer rating. He has also rushed 15 times for 107 yards and two scores.
Williams opened the year with 269 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a 59-37 win at Carolina. Against Minnesota he completed 15 of 26 passes for 138 yards with an interception and added 42 rushing yards before exiting.
If Williams cannot play, Bagent is expected to make his first start since 2023. Bagent went five of nine for 54 yards in relief Sunday. As a rookie he started four games, completing 94 of 143 passes for 859 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions.
The Bears (1-1) host the undefeated Eagles (2-0) on Sept. 28. Chicago then faces the New York Jets at home Oct. 4 before traveling to Green Bay on Oct. 11.
A 12-year review of NFL hamstring injuries published in 2024 found the mean time spent on injured reserve was 2.4 weeks. About 33 percent of those players later suffered another hamstring injury, including 27 percent in the same season.
Mild grade 1 muscle strains often allow a return in one to three weeks. More significant strains can take four to eight weeks. Teams frequently treat the injuries cautiously because of the high rate of recurrence.
Chicago ranks first in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 212.5 through two weeks. Losing Williams’ dual-threat presence would test an offense that scored 59 points in the opener before managing only a field goal in rainy conditions against Minnesota.
