Caleb Williams Slated to Return for Bears Against Falcons, Reports Say

Caleb Williams is slated to return as the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears in their upcoming Sunday matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, according to matching reports from NFL Network and ESPN, though the team officially lists him as questionable due to a right hamstring tear.

Williams Must Pass Medical Tests Before Sunday

Williams sustained the hamstring tear during a Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, forcing the 24-year-old quarterback to miss the team’s last three games. He spoke about the severity of the issue on Thursday, noting that the injury was quite serious and pushing back against public coverage of his time away from the field. Before taking the field on Sunday, Williams still has to clear final burden tests and pass the medical protocols required by the franchise.

Head coach Ben Johnson addressed the team’s quarterback progression earlier in the week. He stated that Williams has done a great job with his development and that the coaching staff would evaluate the right moment to put him back on the field to help secure wins. Williams himself acknowledged on Thursday that he was unsure if he would ultimately get the green light to play, telling reporters not to jump to conclusions before official clearance.

Quarterback Performance During the Absence

Chicago managed a split record across three games with backup signal-callers while Williams recovered on the sidelines. Case Keenum stepped in first to guide the offense to a 27:7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Tyson Bagent followed with a 23:12 win against the New York Jets.

The momentum stalled during a 31:7 defeat to the Green Bay Packers. Bagent struggled against Green Bay, completing just 12 of his 21 pass attempts for 87 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. That performance prompted Johnson to bench Bagent during the game and temporarily reinsert Keenum before targeting a return for Williams in Atlanta.

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