Caleb Williams faced scrutiny after postgame remarks overshadowed his team’s dramatic win, shifting focus from the Chicago Bears’ comeback to his comments off the field
02:41 ET, 14 Oct 2025
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Caleb Williams turned heads with his postgame comments
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Caleb Williams turned heads with his postgame comments(Image: ESPN)
After Monday night’s dramatic finish, Caleb Williams found himself at the center of public backlash — not just for his performance, but for comments he made about Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody following Moody’s game-winning field goal.
After Troy Aikman spent a majority of the game criticizing Williams, Moody’s 38-yard kick as time expired delivered Chicago a 25–24 victory over Washington, and Williams’s remarks afterward stirred controversy.
Moody, who had been released by the San Francisco 49ers after two seasons of inconsistencies and given a ruthless seven-word explanation from Kyle Shanahan, was elevated from the Bears’ practice squad to active roster duty earlier that day because Cairo Santos was injured.
In his first game as a Bear, he went 4-for-5 on field goals — his lone miss was blocked — and drilled the final 38-yarder in steady rain.
In the postgame, Williams was asked about Moody’s heroics. Instead of a simple nod, Williams said, ”I really didn't know who he was when he first joined the team.”
"And then I saw him kick a 65-yarder in practice. For what he was able to do coming here, I know he's had some tough times recently, but being able to come in here, rainy, windy, all of this, and come through for us, I'm proud of him, happy for him and happy for us as a team."
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That remark prompted immediate reactions on social media: “Caleb Williams didn’t have to say all that about Moody, just thank him lmao.”
Another user said, “Caleb Williams not knowing who Jake Moody was in the NFL tells me all I need to know about how much he cares.”
On the field, the game was tumultuous. Chicago went up 13–0 early on, capitalizing on Washington turnovers to open the scoring. Williams added to the Bears’ firepower with a 1-yard rushing touchdown late — a play in which he followed a block by D’Andre Swift, but fell behind 24-16 in the fourth quarter.
The Bears’ comeback centerpiece was Swift, who accounted for 108 rushing yards and added a 55-yard receiving touchdown from a Williams pass to cut Washington’s lead and set up Chicago’s final push.
Moody was cut from the 49ers last month
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Moody was cut from the 49ers last month(Image: Getty)
Washington’s offense had its moments. Jayden Daniels threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns, and added 52 rushing yards, keeping his team in the fight.
But the Commanders’ downfall came late: with 3:07 remaining, Daniels fumbled a snap in the rain on a third-and-one attempt, and Chicago cornerback Nahshon Wright pounced on it. The Bears ran a short nine-play drive culminating in Moody’s kick for the win.
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For Moody, the night was redemptive. He was drafted by San Francisco in the third round in 2023 but struggled under pressure and was cut after inconsistencies.
"It feels amazing obviously," Moody told reporters in Washington after the win. "Hitting the game winner is always a good time. Doing it for a new team in my first game is huge.”