Hamstring recovery time in NFL: How Caleb Williams’ injury compares to Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, others originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Chicago Bears fans turned their heads away from the field in sadness late in the fourth quarter of their home game against the Minnesota Vikings. Caleb Williams avoided contact when scrambling out of the pocket, but when he slid, the quarterback let out a yelp shrouded in significant pain.
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Williams reportedly suffered a noncontact hamstring injury in his right leg, which could mean a multitude of things. Information is still actively being released, but things don’t look good in the Windy City.
Here’s what we know about Chicago’s star quarterback, who was forced out of their Week 2 contest due to injury.
MORE: Caleb Williams suffers hamstring injury in Week 2 loss to Vikings
With the Bears in the red zone about halfway through the fourth quarter, Williams was forced to scramble following his pocket collapsing. After running left for a few yards, the Madden 27 cover athlete slid to avoid contact, but instantly writhed in pain on the rain-sodden gridiron.
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Williams stayed down and audibly screamed in pain before being unable to walk off on his own power. Here’s the play that ended the star quarterback’s afternoon prematurely:
Williams was unable to put weight on his right leg and required the cart to take him to Chicago’s locker room.
According to Adam Schefter, Williams suffered a hamstring injury. The severity of his hamstring ailment is unknown, but with how the quarterback reacted, the worst may unfortunately be expected.
According to head coach Ben Johnson, Williams is in good spirits, and he’s thankful that it wasn’t a more significant knee injury. However, more information about the severity of the injury will come tomorrow.
After the dust settled at Soldier Field, Williams was seen walking out of the stadium under his own power. This could be a promising sign for the star’s injury severity. He’ll undergo imaging on his right leg tomorrow to determine what recovery is necessary.
MORE: What does a Keenan Allen suspension mean for the Colts?
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At this point in time, Williams’ exact injury and expected time missed are unknown. The quarterback was writhing in pain after an awkward slide, with Schefter reporting it was the hamstring that knocked the quarterback out.
If Williams completely tore his hamstring, according to the Cleveland Clinic, recovery could take several months. The quarterback could be sidelined for 8-12 weeks, or more, per Princeton Medicine if he completely tore the muscle. If Williams avoided a major injury, he could recover in 3-8 weeks for a Grade 2 or lower strain.
In 2024, Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott suffered a partial hamstring avulsion in Week 9, which sidelined him for the remainder of that year’s campaign. Last season, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain that knocked him out for three games.
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There is a wide range of time missed depending on how severe Williams’ injury is. Due to the fact that he couldn’t put weight on it, the injury to Chicago’s star could unfortunately fall in the Grade 2-3 range that could sideline him anywhere from 3-12+ weeks.
Stay tuned for updates.
When an athlete strains their hamstring, it means the player may have torn some muscle fibers in his hamstring as well. However, there are different grades for each strain depending on how severe the injury is.
Here’s a breakdown of the different types of hamstring strains and what each entails:
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Strain grade
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Description
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Expected recovery
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Grade 1
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The player tore very little muscle in the area. Tightness or small pull with minimal bruising. Player can put weight on the leg, but can’t sprint.
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1-3 weeks
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Grade 2
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Moderate amount of muscle in his hamstring, resulting in a partial tear. More pain with a limp, possible bruising. Loss of strength in leg and pain with knee/hip movement
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3-8 weeks
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Grade 3
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The muscle in the hamstring is completely torn. Sudden sharp pain with significant bruising and major difficulty with walking.
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8-12+ weeks
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