Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams left the field during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings after suffering a right hamstring injury. The incident happened in the fourth quarter when Williams was running to his left and appeared to be in significant pain. Trainers attended to him on the field before helping him to the sideline. He was then carted to the locker room and initially sat with a towel over his head. Williams later removed the towel and gave the crowd a thumbs-up.
The injury happened on first-and-goal from the Minnesota 6-yard line as Williams scrambled to his left. He went down without being tackled and was unable to put weight on his right leg as trainers helped him off the field.
Bears coach Ben Johnson said he was happy the injury was not to Williams' knee, which had been a concern, according to ESPN. Johnson added that while a hamstring injury can be serious, they would assess the situation further after the game, according to a report from CBS Sports. Johnson said Williams was in good spirits after the loss.
Tyson Bagent took over as quarterback for the Bears after Williams' departure. The team had been struggling offensively and failed to score a touchdown despite reaching deep into Vikings territory several times. A potential game-tying field goal attempt was blocked after Williams left the game.
The Bears had reached Minnesota's 1-yard line earlier in the second half. Running back D'Andre Swift fumbled there and Minnesota recovered. Chicago later reached the Vikings' 6 before Williams was injured. The Bears also reached the Minnesota 12 on their final possession but again failed to score.
Before his injury, Williams had completed 15 of 26 passes for 138 yards and rushed for 42 yards on five carries. He also threw one interception and took three sacks during the game.
The game was played in heavy rain, with wet field conditions possibly contributing to the non-contact injury. CBS Sports noted that the soggy field may have played a role in the way Williams went down.
The Bears had been unable to capitalize on their offensive opportunities, especially near the goal line. Williams' injury occurred during a play where he appeared to have room to run toward the end zone.
The team will assess the severity of his injury on Monday. Williams was not able to continue playing after being helped off the field. He was later seen walking under his own power in the locker room. An MRI was scheduled for Monday.
The Bears lost the game 9-3 to Minnesota in a match played under steady rain. Bagent entered the game as Williams’ replacement and took over quarterback duties for the remainder of the contest. He completed 5 of 9 passes for 54 yards.
Minnesota improved to 2-0 while Chicago fell to 1-1. The Bears are scheduled to host the Philadelphia Eagles on September 28.