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C.J. Stroud Defends Caleb Williams's Nonchalant Reaction to Postgame Advice
C.J. Stroud is sticking up for his fellow young quarterback.
On Wednesday, the Houston Texans signal-caller was asked about his viral postgame exchange with Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and was quick to defend his counterpart.
The conversation in question is below.
Very cool moment between Caleb Williams and CJ Stroud.
— Dave (@dave_bfr) September 17, 2024
Lotta respect for Stroud. Even pulled Caleb back.
pic.twitter.com/Y9vJwCeXGd
Some have suggested Williams was blowing Stroud off in that exchange, but the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year shutdown the speculation.
Stroud said, "I don't think he was trying to be any towards me, he's just upset that they lost. I totally understand. I have a ton of respect for that guy and I want him to do extremely well just like any other guy until we play on that day ... I'm definitely rooting for him and want to see him do extremely well."
Stroud also explained that he wasn't trying to act like a big brother to Williams after the game, but insisted instead that he had received a lot of encouragement as a rookie and wanted to pass that along to a fellow young quarterback.
#Texans C.J. Stroud emphasized strongly that he was not 'little bro' ing #Bears Caleb Williams whom he has a ton of respect for adding that Williams was just upset that he didn't win the game and is a competitive guy. He wishes him all the success @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/FCtl7YXd22
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 18, 2024
Williams has struggled so far in his young career. The No. 1 pick from the 2024 NFL draft has dealt with a porous Bears offensive line that has made moving the ball difficult. Through two games the USC product has completed 56.1% of his passes for 267 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
Stroud said it took him a few weeks to find a rhythm last year and he believes Williams will find his.
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Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.