Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams returned to full practice participation on Thursday for the first time in nearly a month. However, his news conference became contentious as he declined to disclose the medical grade of his hamstring injury, which he described as 'pretty serious.' Williams faced questions from reporters about why he kept the diagnosis private. 'Because it's not deserving,' he responded. He criticized national reporting for oversimplifying his injury timeline, stating, 'There's nothing that has come out that has been right about what it is and what it has been.'
Williams sustained the injury late in Chicago’s Week 2 loss to Minnesota, experiencing a significant moment of distress as he was carted off the field. 'I felt a pop,' he recalled. 'That's why I looked back. I looked back just like everybody else does when you feel a pop. Think somebody grabbed you and nobody grabbed me.'
He expressed that his emotional response was indicative of his commitment to his team, saying, 'I'm always going to show emotion, especially when I can't be out there with the guys.'
Williams has been undergoing five to six hours of daily rehabilitation and reported achieving top sprint speeds in recent workouts. Although he has participated fully in practice this week, his availability for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons remains uncertain, pending medical clearance. 'Before you start asking, do not know if I'm playing yet,' Williams stated. 'If I'm good to go, I'm good to go. If I'm not and we're just not ready, then we got to wait.'