Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said earlier this year that he was unable to connect with ESPN color analyst Troy Aikman before one of the team’s two “Monday Night Football” games.
Aikman’s partner, play-by-play man Joe Buck, told the “SI Media with Jimmy Traina podcast” podcast Friday that ESPN expected to hold a call with Williams on Zoom, but he didn’t show for the call ahead of the Bears’ opener against the Vikings or their October game at the Commanders.
“We understand you guys are busy, you’re preparing for a game [and] the last thing you probably want to do is talk to us,” Buck said. “It’s kind of part of the drill, but we will do it when it works for you, on your schedule …
“We sat on a Zoom [call] waiting forever, and he just never came. I don’t know what else we can do.”
Williams reached out to Aikman before the Vikings game and the two had a conversation, a source said. The quarterback himself said he tried to call Aikman after a long day at Halas Hall leading up to the Commanders game that their schedules didn’t line up — but never heard back.
The relevance of Williams’ interactions with the former Cowboys star is rooted in the perception by Bears fans and some around the team — including Williams and coach Ben Johnson — that Aikman was unnecessarily harsh in his evaluation of Williams in the two “MNF” games.
Aikman described a 55-yard D’Andre Swift catch-and-run touchdown against the Commanders as “just luck on the Bears’ part.” After the game, Williams wrote on social media: “It was lucky-TA”. Williams said later that it was a “fun troll” job.
“D’Andre made a great play and obviously [Aikman] had some stuff to say about us or me,” Williams said. “And, I mean, we came out victorious in the end.
“Made a little fun moment of it. That was about it.”
Aikman told Front Office Sports in November that “I would challenge anyone to go watch … and tell me that any analysis that I gave was unfair.”
The Bears won’t be on “MNF” again this year, but could catch the same announcing crew in the playoffs.
