Caleb Williams typed out an Instagram post late Tuesday referencing “Monday Night Football” analyst Troy Aikman’s comments about the Bears. Wednesday, the Bears quarterback joked that it was a “fun troll” job to post it — but he made it clear that he heard the criticism.
“When you’re in a competitive situation like coach [Ben Johnson] is, or myself, or other teammates, when people have stuff to say about you, whether it’s that week or a whole year or whatever the case may be, I think you do use it as a little bit of fuel, as a little bit of motivation,” he said Wednesday at Halas Hall. “I think that’s always a part of it as a competitor. … But you don’t put too much into it to where it affects you negatively.”
ABC analyst Troy Aikman called D’Andre Swift’s 55-yard catch-and-run fortunate on the broadcast.
“Open as he is, then you make one guy miss, and now with his speed, he’s off to the races,” Aikman said. “Just um, just luck on Chicago’s part. It really wasn’t so much intended.”
On Instagram, Williams posted a photo of kicker Jake Moody, who made the game-winning kick Monday night, and wrote the following:
“Nations Cap[itol], good being back!
“It was lucky” -TA
“Whooptie Doo“
Williams said he didn’t meet with Aikman during ABC’s game prep, saying their schedules didn’t line up after a long day at Halas Hall. Williams said he tried to call Aikman but the two never connected.
Williams asked if he differentiated between fair and unfair criticism.
“I think I’ve said multiple times over my time being here, fair, not, life isn’t fair,” he said. “People are going to say what they have to say. We win, we lose, people have stuff to say. It was lucky, it was not lucky, people have stuff to say. Have a bad game, have a good game, people have stuff to say. It doesn’t matter. We’re only worried about what’s going on here within this building and with these guys.”
Aikman commented on Williams’ inability to throw a pass so that his receivers could gain the most possible yards after the catch. Williams admitted he could have been better in that situation.
“Every game you play, you always want to be able to put your receiver in the best position,” Williams said. “That doesn’t always happen. So you try to give him at least a catchable ball. At the least you try to give them a catchable ball. At the maximum you want to give him the best ball so he can go run. I think there was opportunities for that, I think there was opportunities we missed. I think there was opportuntiies that we’ll hit. It’s still our fifth game that we just played. …
” Everyone has things to say. That’s great. Like I said, I could care less. We’re 3-2.”
Johnson noticed Aikman when his kids were watching a replay of the 25-24 victory before school Tuesday. Unprompted, he offered “a few people weren’t particularly pleased with how we were winning” Monday night and said the Bears needed to earn the respect of players and broadcasters alike.
“Listen, [if] you want respect in this league, you’ve got to go earn it,” he said. “That’s where we’re at right now. We need to go earn that respect from not only the rest of the teams in the NFL, but everybody. That’s where we are.”
