Las Vegas Raiders defensive star Maxx Crosby didn’t join the pile-on after Caleb Williams’ scary-looking injury reaction. He went the other way.
On Tuesday’s episode of “The Rush With Maxx Crosby,” Crosby defended the Chicago Bears quarterback after Williams was helped off the field during the fourth quarter of Chicago’s Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and later became the target of jokes and criticism online.
“Caleb, obviously, we send our wishes. Hopefully everything's smooth and it's nothing serious, but everyone you know has an opinion about, 'Oh, why'd he react this way to this certain type of thing?' He might never have pulled a hammy in his life,” Crosby said on the podcast.
Crosby said the fear in the moment is real when an injury hits suddenly.
“I've had one hammy thing a while back, and that [expletive] will freak you the [expletive] out when it happens,” the Raiders star shared. “In his head, he's probably imagining, like, 'Oh [expletive], something really bad just happened,' and you have all these emotions and things going on.”
Williams went down on a rushing play and stayed on the turf while staff checked on him. He was visibly in pain before being carted off, and the scene initially looked much worse than what the later update suggested. Hours later, the news on Williams was that the injury was not as serious as it appeared, and he could be back sooner than many expected.
Still, the reaction to Williams online was harsh, with memes and criticism following the update. A Monday report said Bears coach Ben Johnson expects Williams to be “week to week” with the hamstring injury.
There had also been an early report suggesting Williams might even be available for Chicago’s “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 28, though that would be a major surprise. ESPN’s Ian Rapoport later said a hamstring injury like that “generally” takes “two to four weeks” to heal.
The injury was a jarring moment for a quarterback who has mostly stayed clean early in his career. Williams started all 17 games in each of his first two seasons, and now he could miss a brief stretch before returning.
Williams has already been a guest on Crosby’s podcast before. And while Crosby’s name has come up again this season in trade speculation after offseason rumors and a failed deal with the Baltimore Ravens, a recent Bleacher Report piece linked both the Bears and Dallas Cowboys to the Pro Bowler as possible landing spots, saying each team could use his pass-rushing help.
In Other News...
Taylor Decker Could Face A Rival Option Lions Fans Will Hate
Taylor Decker is still sitting in free agency after asking for his release from Detroit, and the longer he remains unsigned, the more his market starts to tilt toward places Lions fans would rather not imagine. One of those places is Green Bay, where a season-ending torn patellar tendon to right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele has left the Packers looking for help on the offensive line.
Decker has spent most of his career as a left tackle, so the fit would not be as simple as a plug-and-play move, but the possibility alone is enough to make this a story worth watching from Detroits side. No official move has been reported yet, and for now the veteran remains available while a division rival weighs its options. [Read more 🡒]
Jamaal Williams Reunion Buzz Puts Lions Running Back Depth In Focus
Jamaal Williams has made it clear he would welcome a return to Detroit, and he has already reached out to Dan Campbell about the possibility. Williams, who played for the Lions from 2021 to 2022, has been out of football since the 2024 season, but his interest in a comeback lands at a time when Detroit is paying close attention to its running back room.
Campbells response has been measured, with the Lions presently holding tight at the position while navigating injuries and workload concerns. For now, there has been no move to bring Williams back, but the fact that the conversation has happened keeps the door from closing completely if the roster picture changes. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Get A Timely Alim McNeill Check As Defensive Questions Grow
With the defense under the microscope and questions hanging over the unit, Detroit got a useful early-week update on Alim McNeill. The defensive tackle did not practice Wednesday, but the expectation is that hell be back on Thursday and available for the upcoming game against the New York Jets, which is the sort of late-week health check the Lions badly need right now.
The same goes for the offensive line depth, with Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller also expected back at practice after sitting out the previous game. And while the discussion around the defense has widened beyond injuries, Dan Campbell made clear he still has Kelvin Sheppards back, saying he expects the defensive coordinator to remain in his role even as the pressure around the unit continues to build. [Read more 🡒]