Quarterback Caleb Williams gave Chicago Bears fans a bit of a scare Saturday afternoon.
While attending the USC-Wisconsin men’s basketball game in Los Angeles, Williams — a USC alumnus — was shown on the Fox Sports broadcast with what appeared to be a hard cast on his throwing hand. Multiple league sources have said the cast is a result of a recent minor elective procedure Williams had on his right hand, with the quarterback’s recovery not expected to significantly inhibit his offseason training.
The Bears are still progressing through their search for a head coach and on Saturday interviewed Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich. That brings the total to 16 candidates with whom the team has announced an interview.
Ideally, the Bears are seeking to land a new coach who can easily connect with Williams as the starting quarterback crosses the bridge into his second season. As a rookie, Williams threw for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions, posting a passer rating of 87.8. Williams was also sacked a league-high 68 times but remained durable and started all 17 games, becoming the first Bears QB since Jay Cutler in 2009 to start every game in the regular season.
In addition to the cast on his right hand, Williams turned heads with a new haircut. But his physical status was of far greater interest. For now, anyway, the quarterback’s hand does not seem to be a major concern.
