Bears QB Caleb Williams on the right track to play Sunday, but status still unclear

First things first, Caleb Williams isn't sure if he'll be the Chicago Bears starting quarterback on Sunday vs. Atlanta.

It's trending that way, but it's not set in stone.

"Before you start asking," Williams said as he opened his media availability on Thursday, "Do not know if I'm playing yet." 

In his first chance to speak with reporters since his hamstring injury that's kept him out of the last three games – The first missed games of his NFL career – Williams opened up about the injury, and the emotions that came with it.

Whether he'll play Sunday is to be determined. What we learned on Thursday is that he's ready to play if he's cleared.

What they're saying:

Williams heard it all and saw it all. The reports about his hamstring injury varied, but he said most of the reporting was inaccurate.

"It was a hamstring tear, and a pretty serious one," he said. "We got a grade, but I wouldn't say it's deserved to be put out there."

Williams was adamant he didn't want to share, but the fact there was a tear of any kind shows how serious it was.

He fell to the turf writhing in pain in the Bears' 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and was carted off the field. The FOX broadcast showed Williams leaving the field with emotion on his face as he was carted off the field.

"I care about the team, the organization, winning, being out there, my teammates, all of that," Williams said. "I care, and that's the biggest thing. This is what I love to do. This puts a smile on my face. It's everything to me. So, not being able to be out there was frustrating. It was more the tears or whatever that was."

Williams has never been shy about his emotions. It's why he vehemently refused to share what grade of strain his hamstring suffered. He said there was enough false reporting and inaccurate information that was disseminated after his injury, which upset him.

He was also upset about the amount of jokes he saw at his expense after he was carted off.

It's been frustrating and challenging for Williams. This is the first time he's been injured to a point where he's missed games in the NFL. He said he's learned a lot from watching Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent prepare to be the starting quarterback while he recovered.

Even though Williams said hamstring injuries take months to recover from, he mentioned how he's recovered physically.

"I can move, I can run, I hit top speed the other day," Williams said. "One of the highest speeds I’ve ever hit."

That's not enough to clear him for Sunday in Atlanta, however.

What's next:

Williams still has one test left to clear. He has a stress test to pass. If he does pass, he'll most likely be cleared for Sunday's game.

That's a maybe, but so far he's in line to play pending the stress test. Williams was a full participant in Thursday's practice, and the Bears 

"Just seeing how he looks, how he responds," Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor said. "That's the biggest thing, put him through a practice, see how his body responds, how he feels the next day, how he feels in his typical movement patterns. You just get a feel for the athlete, what he feels like from his responses. Then obviously go off the advice of the medical staff in terms of how he's responding to things."

So far, so good.

He still has some more to go, though. Williams' status remains uncertain.

"It’s felt good but it’s different when you have to go through a whole week of practice and you’ve got to prepare for a game and all that," Williams said. "The stress on the mind, body and spirit."

But, Williams has trust in this process. It's a frustrating process for a player that's never had to go through it before. But, he trusts every part of it all the same.

This includes the medical staff to help him recover, his teammates to win while he's out and himself to recover to a point where he can be cleared.

"I trust myself. I trust my body. I trust my guys," Williams said. "If I’m out there, I’m out there and it’s full trust. If I’m not out there, I need a little more time."

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