Quarterback Caleb Williams has been subject to criticism since the day he was drafted by the Bears with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Whether it's comparisons to fellow second-year signal callers Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, or questions about his fit with coach Ben Johnson, the former USC Trojan has seemingly lived under the microscope from the start.
Said judgments continued on Sunday night after Chicago's 30-16 loss to the Ravens. After the game—one in which Williams accounted for zero touchdowns and threw a costly, fourth-quarter interception—former NFL scout-turned-podcaster John Middlekauff didn't mince words about the QB's play so far this season.
"He has not played well, their team has," Middlekauff, once a scout with the Philadelphia Eagles, said of Williams during an appearance on The Colin Cowherd Podcast on Sunday night. "The running back has played well, and the defense has played well, the quarterback has not. How many times today with Caleb [were there] guys in the flat, even on completions they have to stop and catch the ball. There's no rhythm to his game. I think Caleb isn't remotely a good player. Physically, he's got a lot of gifts, but in terms of playing the quarterback position, I think he's borderline not even average. That's a problem."
“I think Caleb Williams isn’t a good player.”@colincowherd & @JohnMiddlekauff react to Bears loss to Ravens pic.twitter.com/Qa31Ym3Bfw
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) October 27, 2025
On the season, Williams has thrown for 1,636 yards, nine touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 61.9% of his passes—just 24th in the NFL—and tallying a 90.2 passer rating, which ranks 20th. He's also lost one fumble.
The Bears will look to rite the ship next Sunday as they head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals. Kick off from Paycor Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m. ET.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Former NFL Scout Says Caleb Williams 'Isn't a Good Player'.
