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Former USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams is making quite the impression on the new Chicago Bears coaching staff in a short time frame.
Bears Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle addressed the media after rookie minicamp and was lobbed a question pertaining to Caleb Williams. Doyle was asked what is something new he has learned about Williams that he didn’t know prior to becoming his coach and spending time around him. The answer wasn’t anything profound, but the there is importance lies in the simplicity and directness.
“I would say that he’s very eager to do work. He’s here after hours. He’s trying to get it right. We’re giving him scripts. We came in here last Saturday, and he’s down there in the indoor trying to walk through it by himself. I think it’s really important to him that he gets it right. I think his teammates can feel that. I think his teammates can feel he’s a guy trying to take the next step and it’s been a positive exposure so far,” Doyle said at rookie minicamp.
Williams has been known for his work ethic going back to his days at USC, but to make such an impression on a staff that’s only been in place for a few months is notable. While the offseason is usually filled with drama and headlines of the not-so-good variety, Williams has been keeping a low profile and appears to be zeroed in on his game heading into the summer grind as OTAs are rapidly approaching.
"We're all really excited and we can't wait to put in the work. That doesn't just mean us putting in time on the board, us being here working out, lifting, getting stronger, faster. It's also us hanging out in the offseason, building that bond, so that when times do get tough, we fight through it, we get through it, we keep going as a team,” Williams said earlier in the offseason.
Building that camaraderie with his teammates, both new and old, is a major point of emphasis, the same way Williams has built his understanding of the new offensive structure and operation. The rapport with teammates comes with reps, but the relationship with coaches is a bit different. While meeting up for a dinner or the occasional cookout, players don’t typically hang out with their coaches.
The time spent inside the building is paramount, and for Williams, it can’t be emphasized enough how important this season is towards his development. If Williams can continue on the trajectory he began last season, taking care of the ball at a historic rate, and then improve in the intermediate passing game and with timing and anticipation, Williams can become the first 4,000-yard passer in franchise history, and that’s just the floor.
The Bears are being built the proper way and have the staff in place that should be able to get the most out of a talented quarterback like Caleb Williams. Coupled with Williams’s work ethic and desire to improve, progress is almost surely to be made. How much? That’s still on the table. But anything improving upon where Williams left off last season is a major step forward.
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Packers Receive Disappointing Injury News Before Vikings Matchup
Jayden Reed’s anticipated return to the practice field for the Green Bay Packers will have to wait a little longer. Despite some growing hope earlier this week that the dynamic wide receiver could begin the next phase of his recovery, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Wednesday that Reed will not open his 21-day practice window yet. “He’s not practicing today,” LaFleur said ahead of Sunday’s critical matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. When pressed for a clearer timeline on the second-year standout, who remains on injured reserve with collarbone and foot injuries, LaFleur deferred to the medical staff. “I don’t know. As soon as medical clears him, he’ll be out there,” LaFleur said. “I know he’s excited to get back. As am I.” The optimism had spiked in recent days. On Monday, LaFleur indicated there was a chance Reed and/or rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd could start their practice windows this week. Reed himself fueled the excitement Tuesday by sharing a photo of himself dressed in full uniform on social media. Those plans, however, are now on hold. Reed’s surgically repaired foot seems to have healed satisfactorily, but the collarbone—fractured on a diving attempt during the first half of Green Bay’s Week 2 victory over the Washington Commanders—still needs additional time. For a wide receiver whose job involves regular physical contact and the risk of landing hard on the shoulder, the medical staff is requiring clear imaging evidence that the bone is strong enough before green-lighting a return. The cautious approach echoes the Packers’ handling of Aaron Rodgers’ similar collarbone injury in 2017, when the former quarterback sat out seven games while waiting for full healing. Nearly 10 weeks removed from the injury and having already missed eight contests, Reed could still require another one to two weeks before doctors are comfortable clearing him for football activities. That timeline keeps a potential return for the Thanksgiving night clash with the Detroit Lions or the following week against the Chicago Bears realistically in play. Before the injury, Reed had established himself as Green Bay’s top receiving weapon. He paced the team in receiving yards in both 2023 and 2024, and in the two games he played this season while managing the foot issue, he recorded three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Green Bay Packers will continue their Week 12 preparations without their leading wideout on the practice field, with LaFleur and the organization prioritizing full recovery over a rushed comeback.
Texas HC Steve Sarkisian gives bold claim on job rumors
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has been a popular name in both the NFL and college football coaching cycles. It makes sense, too. He's brought Texas back to being competitive and in the championship hunt, but he also has a wealth of great experience as an assistant in both college and the NFL. He's about as well-rounded a candidate as you'll find, so of course, programs like the Florida Gators, LSU Tigers or even the New York Giants may be interested to see if he's interested. The thing is, though, he's not. Or, at the very least, that's what he's telling the media. He's all-in with the Longhorns, according to comments he made on a recent SEC teleconference call. “I’d like to comment something before I get into our team that has been bothering me now over the past few weeks. That is people reporting that are insinuating that there’s a possibility I could leave the University of Texas, and that is absolutely false and untrue," Sarkisian said (h/t On3). "I’m not going anywhere. Never do I do this because I never want to be a distraction, so I never address these things. At this point, I feel like this is important that I do this because it’s important for our team. It’s important for our university." Steve Sarkisian has deep roots in Austin and is all-in with Texas As if that weren't clear enough, Sarkisian said that he has not had any discussions with anybody about coaching elsewhere. He even went as far as to say that even his agent hasn't spoken to anyone. Sometimes coaches can say publicly that they aren't talking about any opportunities while, in the meantime, their agents are working backchannels and putting something together. He could be lying, of course, because college football history is full of head coaches saying one thing and doing another. A full-throated statement like this seems to be a pretty clear indication that Sarkisian is serious about what he's saying, though. Heck, he went as far as calling Austin home, which is a pretty big deal for a coach to say. Those guys aren't used to staying in one place for too long. With that said, Sarkisian does have two kids actually enrolled at Texas, one on the football team. He has a third kid he wants to go to Texas in the near future. He also just had a baby. Sarkisian has roots in Austin. He also has high aspirations for the Longhorns. “We came here to win championships," he said. "We’ve built a damn good football program over the five years that we’ve been here. We’ve been to two College Football Playoffs. We won a Big 12 Championship. We went to the SEC Championship game in Year 1. We’ve had 23 players drafted the last two years, which is more than any other school in the country and our team GPA is at an all-time high. “Can we please stop putting things out there that you have absolutely zero evidence on? Can we please stop retweeting and putting it back out there as if it’s true? As if it’s the gospel? It is not true."
Steve Spurrier has two endorsements for next Florida HC
Steve Spurrier is a legend for the Florida Gators. Known as "the head ball coach" down in SEC-land, Spurrier was a star both as a player and as a coach for Florida. Heck, the dang field in Gainesville is named after him. That means what he says about the Florida program carries a lot of weight, and he recently revealed that he believes there are only two people who would live up to the expectations and be a great fit for the Gators as they look to replace fired head coach Billy Napier sooner rather than later. “I know Lane Kiffin and I know Eli Drinkwitz,” Spurrier recently said, according to Daniel Hager of On3. “Obviously, either one of those guys would be super if it works out. But, it’s a long way from whoever we’re going to get as our coach right now.” The Gators are currently making a full-court press for Lane Kiffin, but they're not alone in their pursuit of the Ole Miss head coach. While the Gators reportedly flew members of Kiffin's family down to Gainesville to check things out recently, the LSU Tigers also pulled the same trick — hoping to get Kiffin to ultimately come down to Baton Rouge. LSU is probably Florida's biggest competitor for Kiffin right now, but there's also Ole Miss to consider. It's not like the Rebels are going to let a coach who has led them to a 54-19 record over the past six seasons go without a fight. Kiffin would absolutely be a home-run hire for the Gators, though. He's a high-level recruiter and a high-level offensive mind in the SEC. Those are two things that the Gators desperately need in the wake of the middling Napier era. Not only that, but Kiffin has ties to the state. He was the head coach at Florida Atlantic from 2017-19. Eli Drinkwitz an interesting option for Florida if it can't land Lane Kiffin Drinkwitz is another interesting option, though. You'll also notice that there's a trend here for Florida, and that's going after established SEC head coaches. Napier had come from the Sun Belt conference. Drinkwitz has made Missouri a tough out in the SEC, and he's won a ton of football games. His overall record at Mizzou is 45-27, though his record in big games does leave a little to be desired. He's 7-14 against ranked opponents and 0-7 against top-10 teams. Still, Drinkwitz is a young coach at just 42, so the upside is there. He's a big personality who does well on the recruiting trail, and he could do a lot of good things with the firepower of the Florida Gators behind him. There are other options out there for Florida. Washington head coach Jedd Fisch is a Florida alumnus, for instance. If Spurrier has narrowed it down to Kiffin and Drinkwitz in his mind, though, you can bet those in power at Florida are likely thinking the same thing.
There's reportedly 'a plausible scenario' where Dolphins make this Mike McDaniel call
There are still more questions than answers about the future of Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel after the team "mutually" agreed to part ways with general manager Chris Grier on Oct. 31. Following that divorce, Miami won two consecutive games to improve to 4-7 before the team's Week 12 bye. For a piece published on Wednesday, ESPN's Dan Graziano asked fellow NFL insider Jeremy Fowler whether McDaniel can save his job before the offseason begins. Has Mike McDaniel made things "interesting" for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross? "I do," Fowler responded. "I wouldn't call it likely, but in my mind, there's a plausible scenario where he sticks in Miami. The team is coming off back-to-back wins, and the vibe seems to be good. The Dolphins are responding to McDaniel more than they are tuning him out, which players will do when the message grows stale. And as one NFL executive put it in a conversation recently: If you're looking for an offense-minded candidate, McDaniel is still better than most from this cycle's pool, which is considered weaker. So, while cleaning the house feels entirely possible, McDaniel is at least making things interesting." In three seasons as head coach, McDaniel has yet to lead the Dolphins to a playoff victory. However, given Miami's upcoming schedule, they could make a playoff push over the next month. After their bye week, the Dolphins host the struggling New Orleans Saints (2-8) on Nov. 30. In Week 14, Miami will play at the New York Jets (2-8). Could history repeat itself for Dolphins with Mike McDaniel? "He did something like this last season, when the team started 2-6 and then won six of its next eight to claw back onto the edges of the playoff race," Graziano added about McDaniel. "He might still end up gone, but he has made the case that he can hold onto the locker room even when things are going badly, and that says something about him that ownership will surely consider when making its decision." Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed four games last season due to a concussion. He was then sidelined for the final two contests because of a hip injury. Tagovailoa has started every game for Miami this season and has often left much to be desired in his play. StatMuse shows that he and Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks committed a league-worst 14 turnovers over the first 11 weeks of the campaign. A report from earlier this month indicated that Ross "wants to wait until after the 2026 season before deciding whether a full franchise reset — new coach, new GM, new quarterback — is the way to go." Whether or not that could change if Tagovailoa continues to be a turnover machine through Week 18 remains to be seen.
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