Caleb Williams typed out an Instagram post Tuesday needling “Monday Night Football” analyst Troy Aikman for his comments about the Bears.
Wednesday, the quarterback admitted that it was a “fun troll” job to post it — but was clear he didn’t think the criticism was a laughing matter.
“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. “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.”
Williams, Johnson and other Bears players took note of Aikman’s comments during the “MNF” broadcast — namely, when he called running back D’Andre Swift’s 55-yard catch-and-run touchdown lucky.
“Open as he is, then you make one guy miss, and now with his speed, he’s off to the races,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer said while detailing a replay during the broadcast. “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 in Monday night’s 25-24 victory against the Commanders, and wrote the following:
Nations Cap[itol], good being back!
“It was lucky” -TA
Whooptie Doo
Wednesday, Williams elaborated.
“D’Andre made a great play and obviously [Aikman] had some stuff to say about us or me,” he said. “And, I mean, we came out victorious in the end.
“Made a little fun moment of it. That was about it.”
Johnson noticed Aikman’s commentary when his kids were watching a replay of the second half before school Tuesday. Unprompted, he offered that “a few people weren’t particularly pleased with how we were winning” and said later the Bears apparently needed to earn the respect of players and broadcasters alike.
Knowing Johnson, he’ll probably use it as motivation as the Bears prepare to play the Saints on Sunday at Soldier Field.
“Everyone is going to have their own opinion on us as a team and each player, each coach individually,” Johnson said Wednesday before the team’s walk-through. “You do your best to block the outside noise. We know what we’re building here. We’re starting to believe in each other. The more time that we get together, I feel that, I feel it building, and I think that’s the most important thing.
“Ultimately, you do want the respect of your peers in particular, the people you’re working with, and I think that trickles outside the building as well with how you compete and what you put on the tape as well. So, yeah, that’s a good thing. But at the same time, we’re more concerned about what we’re doing on a daily basis — and what we’re doing for each other.”
Aikman, like Williams, is a former No. 1 overall pick. He went to UCLA — the rival of Williams’ alma mater, USC — and won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys. Monday marked the second time in six weeks that Aikman and “MNF” play-by-play man Joe Buck called a Bears game — they also had the season opener, when the Vikings rallied from a 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Williams said he didn’t speak with Aikman during ABC’s game prep last week, claiming their schedules didn’t line up when the quarterback had a long day at Halas Hall. Williams said he tried to call Aikman once he left the practice facility last week, but the two never connected.
Aikman detailed Williams’ incompletions Monday — but also the completed passes in which he could have set his receivers up for more yards after the catch. Williams admitted that the latter point was valid.
“At the least, you try to give them a catchable ball,” he said. “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 opportunities that we’ll hit. It’s still our fifth game that we just played.”
Linebacker T.J. Edwards said that he didn’t care whether the Bears received respect on national broadcasts.
“I think it’s (that) you go out there and play really well, there’s going to be someone who’s going to find something wrong that it wasn’t that good — or, you know, you lose,” he said. “So they love you and they hate you.”
Despite the fact the Bears are 3-2, “everyone has things to say,” Williams said.
“Fair? Not? Life isn’t fair,” Williams 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. That’s all I can say about that.”
