The city of Chicago held its breath on Sunday evening when, in the midst of a war of attrition with the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field, star QB Caleb Williams tumbled to the ground screaming and writhing in pain.
Williams went down fairly innocuously, prompting fears that he may have suffered an injury to his ACL that would see him miss most of, if not the entirety, of the Bears' season.
The number 18 has already become an icon in the Windy City, having been a key cog in their resurgence under Ben Johnson last season.
A run to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs followed by some smart moves in the off-season raised 'Da Bears'' expectations for the 2026/27 campaign.
Excitement continued to build in their 37-59 win away at the Panthers on opening weekend -- a game Williams lit up with two touchdowns, 269 yards thrown and 65 yards run -- so it is understandable that fans of the franchise would feel as though they are cursed at the sight of 'Iceman' defiantly punching the air while being carted off at Soldier Field just two weeks into the season.
When is Caleb Williams expected to return from injury?
Eagle eyed viewers of the Bears v Vikings post-match coverage may have spotted something to encourage fans of the Chicago outfit.
Williams was spotted leaving the locker room walking under his own power, with no crutches, no boot and just a slight limp.
Those initial fears that an ACL injury may have ended his season subsided as rumours started to build that it may be an issue with the hamstring instead, something Ben Johnson confirmed to the media shortly afterwards.
Now, Chicago can breathe a sigh of relief following confirmation that Williams has avoided a major hamstring injury, with the Bears going as far as refusing to rule their quarterback out of their upcoming clash with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday 29th September.
Even if the medical staff and coaching team opt for caution, fans should see their franchise player back on the field in no less than two to three weeks.
