CJ Stroud understood better than most what Caleb Williams was dealing with last season. He walked into a rough situation with the Houston Texans in 2023. However, he was fortunate to be led by a good coaching staff and a capable supporting cast. That enabled him to overcome early struggles to make the playoffs. One can imagine he must've felt a pang of sympathy for the Chicago Bears rookie last year when the two teams met in week two. Williams was sacked seven times in that game and threw two interceptions.
Chicago lost 19-13. After the final whistle, the two quarterbacks had a now-infamous moment at midfield. Stroud encouraged Williams, telling him he'll be a great player soon enough. Just try to stop taking so many hits. The Bears' rookie listened and nodded, but his body language suggested he didn't want to be there.
Fast forward to this weekend. Williams and Stroud were on a Q&A panel at Fanatics Fest in New York. The Texans quarterback was asked what advice he'd give Williams going into his second season. Stroud's response was certainly telling.
CJ Stroud was probably joking, but the comment was still interesting.
It's clear he hasn't forgotten what happened last September. Is he still a little put off by what Williams did? One should remember that Houston's quarterback is known for having a strong presence online. He's well aware of the stuff that gets kicked up on social media all the time. There is no way he wasn't fully informed on the controversy of Williams' "snubbing" him. This might've been his playful way of ribbing the Bears QB about it. The fact that Williams was laughing was at least something. Still, CJ Stroud shouldn't hold it against him. While it may have been somewhat unprofessional not to be more attentive to the advice, Williams deserved some grace. He'd just lost the game, was beat up, and had nowhere to put his frustration. He probably didn't want a lecture from Stroud, even if that wasn't what it was. Hopefully, there isn't any lingering beef.
