Caleb Williams took some heat after he was caught on camera speaking and laughing during the national anthem.
The Chicago Bears quarterback had a rough opening to the season on Monday night, having looked like he could do no wrong after completing his first 10 passes.
He finished 21-of-35 for 210 yards and one touchdown, also scoring himself on a run.
The Bears had all the momentum at the start of the game, building a two-score lead over the Minnesota Vikings.
However, they went on to lose 27-24, with J.J. McCarthy hanging in there after a rough start, though fans felt like the game must have been rigged, as they usually do.
Caleb Williams’ Behavior Compared To JJ McCarthy’s
Prior to the start of the game, the Bears quarterback was shown giggling and speaking with a teammate during Jim Cornelison’s rendition of the national anthem, something which got folks riled up after it went viral on Twitter/X.
They also noticed that McCarthy was locked in while Caleb ignored the fact that the anthem was being sung.
“Hey Caleb Williams, is the national anthem f***ing funny?” someone asked.
“Watching Caleb Williams laugh and trying to talk during the National Anthem is why he’ll never live up to the hype as the #1 pick,” said another.
“Why is Caleb Williams trying to crack jokes during the national anthem… Can you shut up please?” a user wrote.
“Caleb Williams laughing during the national anthem is very on brand,” said a fourth.
“Caleb Williams vs JJ. Caleb talking during the national anthem and JJ locked in. All I needed to see,” another fan wrote.
Williams’ behavior follows NFL writer Tyler Dunne’s publication of a lengthy piece claiming that the quarterback’s lack of maturity was a problem behind the scenes during his rookie season.
Dunne later suggested on a podcast that Williams could have a learning disability, something that was flagged before the draft but swept under the rug.
While he has been slammed for his behavior during the anthem, the signal-caller has also earned plaudits for the message he displayed with his fingernail painting during the game.
