Jarrett Payton defended Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams on Tuesday’s Haugh & Payton show. The 104.3 The Score host called national criticism of the Bears quarterback shallow and attention-driven.
What We Know: Williams left Sunday’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings with a right hamstring injury. Coach Ben Johnson labeled him week-to-week Monday. Backup Tyson Bagent is next in line to start if Williams cannot go next week. Meanwhile, national pundits piled on Williams’ toughness because of the nature in which he was treated following the injury. Payton, a former NFL player, responded to accusations by media pundits who questioned Williams’ toughness for the position following his injury.
What They Said: (All quotes via 104.3 The Score):
104.3 The Score Jarrett Payton wants outside critics to stop it: “For all these people that are outside this town. First of all, keep my quarterback’s name out your mouth. That’s what I’m gonna say first and foremost. Keep my quarterback’s name out your mouth. You got to bring up all these other things, the fingernail painting, this, and that, dude. He is such a hot topic. I don’t know if he’s the face of the NFL, but I know that Madden decided to put him on the cover for a reason.”
104.3 The Score Jarrett Payton says criticism of Caleb Williams is just for attention: “Last night hearing those reactions, it just made me laugh and made me upset. All those reactions are all for clicks. That’s what it’s for. Because even the guys that have played, [Emmanuel] Acho and these guys that have played, they know. They know the pain that you go through sometimes. It doesn’t matter if it’s a grade one, grade two. You’re still in pain.”
104.3 The Score Jarrett Payton says criticism is two-sided with Caleb Williams from the outside: “Why are we questioning his [Caleb Williams] toughness? Are those not the same people that saw this dude get sacked like 100 times a few years ago? And keep getting back up and not miss a game? It’s different now. But back then, they were like, “Oh man, super tough, taking all these hits.” Now they’re questioning his toughness. Get out of here with that.”
What Remains Unclear: The exact length of Williams’ recovery remains undetermined. Johnson has not set a timetable beyond “week-to-week.” Payton didn’t specifically name any media critics outside of Speakeasy host Emmanuel Acho, who criticized Williams for crying while being carted off the field. Whether or not Acho will respond to Payton’s remarks is unknown.
What It Means: Payton’s comments give a personal reflection on the pains of being a professional athlete. Not just the pains suffered in playing the game, but also in deflection or accepting the criticism from outside the field. Sports debate can tend to be personal in some cases, but Payton is defending his home turf and the players surrounding it. This isn’t the first time that a former ex-athlete defends a current one, but it’s also not the last time current athletes will face criticism for actions away from the field from ex-athletes.
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