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NFL Legend Bill Belichick Unimpressed by Former USC Trojans QB Caleb Williams

Despite Caleb Williams pulling of a few miraculous plays in the NFL Preseason, former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was unimpressed by the former USC Trojans QB's performance.

Randall Sweet

Aug 22, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs
Aug 22, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick gave his opinion of former USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams after the preseason on a recent episode of Inside the NFL.

Despite observers marveling at Williams' performance in his first NFL action, the former New England Patriots coach didn't seem to be impressed with 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.

"He wasn't accurate, he was 10-for-20," Belichick said. "There were a couple of highlight plays, but they weren’t that good."

In two preseason appearances, Williams went 10-of-20 for 170 yards through the air in addition to two carries for 20 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

In his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills, the former Southern California star completed four of his seven pass attempts for 95 yards. leading the Bears to a 33-6 victory over Buffalo.

Williams' next start came against the Cincinnati Bengals, where the first overall pick went 6-of-13 for 75 yards. While Williams wasn't as efficient in his second start, the talented signal caller found his rhythm as the game progressed.

At one point, Williams escaped pressure, rolled out of the pocket, and while on the move, he dropped a beautiful deep pass into the hands of wide receiver Rome Odunze, who secured the ball on the sideline for an incredible highlight-reel play.

Williams finished the drive a few plays later with a seven yard rushing touchdown, showcasing everything that makes the former Heisman Trophy winner such a special prospect. With elite mobility and the ability to deliver the ball downfield with accuracy while on the move and impressive arm strength, Williams has the skill set to be an elite NFL quarterback.

Yet, despite some of the flashes that Williams showed during his two preseason starts, Belichick didn't seem to be impressed by the former USC star's performance.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) drops back to throw in the first quarter of the NFL Preseason Week 2 game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field in downtown Chicago on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. The Bears led 10-3 at halftime. (Via OlyDrop) / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Williams' former head coach conceded that the talented quarterback still has areas of his game to work on, but seems confident that the All-American will be able to make the necessary improvements.

"Caleb is a tremendous competitor," Lincoln Riley said in February. "He really wants to win ... He's confident in his own skin, and I think as a quarterback and as a potential leader of a franchise you want somebody that is that. . . . There's a lot left in front of him. I mean, in the last four years he's played two and a half years of football. He's got so much more to learn, so much more room to grow ... He's obviously got the ability, he's got the desire to be great, he's got the competitiveness."

In his 29 years of leading NFL teams, Belichick accumulated a career record of 333-178 en route to six Super Bowl wins with the Patriots, three AP Coach of the Year nods and a 2021 Pro Football Writers Association Executive of the Year honor.

While the Belichick may not be impressed with Williams' performance yet, the former Trojans' star will have the opportunity to change the legendary coach's mind with a solid performance in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a Staff Writer for Sports Illustrated covering the Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, USC Trojans, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. Since graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Randall has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports across the country as a credentialed media member. While in college, Randall wrote for the OU Daily and logged bylines in The Norman Transcript in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Randall served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at Sports Illustrated.

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