Caleb Williams mocks CJ Stroud as NFL Draft rival faces reality check over $225m demands

Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud have only crossed paths once in the NFL, but frequently appear on one another’s radar.

In Week 2 of the 2024 season, the Houston Texans beat the Chicago Bears in what was the second start of Williams’ debut season.

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Stroud was the reigning Rookie of the Year at the time, and took a moment postgame to offer his counterpart, playing his first season after being selected first overall, some wisdom.

He told Williams ‘good job out there’ and to ‘stop taking those hits’ after Chicago’s signal caller was sacked seven times in the 19-13 loss.

The moment instantly went viral, and Stroud had to later claim that he wasn’t trying to ‘little bro’ his fellow quarterback.

But it wasn’t even the first time that his words had perhaps riled Williams.

Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, which saw the Bears select their new franchise star with the No. 1 overall pick, Stroud suggested that the team ditching Justin Fields would be a mistake.

When asked by USA Today Sports if Chicago should stick with their starter, Stroud said at the time: “They should, if they’re smart. But, you know…”

The Bears, of course, went ahead and picked Williams. Two years on, and it was clearly the right decision.

While he struggled in his rookie year, the No. 1 pick went on to explode in 2025, and set the team’s single-season passing record en-route to securing their first playoff victory in 15 seasons.

Fields, meanwhile, led the New York Jets to a 2-7 record as starter, before being benched and later traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Caleb Williams shades C.J. Stroud with social media post

But Williams, it seems, hasn’t forgotten about Stroud’s comments.

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This week, he re-posted a video on TikTok that opened with the 2-2024 interview, before cutting to various clips that showed the success the young quarterback has already enjoyed in Chicago.

His social media activity was noted by Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network, and shared on X, where plenty of fans enjoyed the subtle dig.

“My QB is petty as hell lol,” one wrote in response.

“That offseason of Fields vs Caleb was a wild one. All those die-hard Fields fans who tried to convince everyone the Bears were making a mistake going with Caleb. I wonder if they still feel that way?” another questioned.

“Love our petty QB,” a third said.

“The Bears have desperately needed a hater at QB,” a fourth concluded.

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There’s no doubt that Williams had a better season in 2025 than both Fields and Stroud.

Texans hit with warning over C.J. Stroud extension

While the Texans star set very high expectations coming off his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2023, his career has stuttered a little since.

He was once touted as a quarterback who could reset the market with a $225 million contract extension, but much of that talk has now faded.

Stroud has been eligible for an extension for the first time this offseason, but Houston appears reluctant to pull the trigger just yet.

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According to Derek Antoine of The Big Lead, the team is now facing the reality of paying a player who has ‘failed them multiple times’ in the last couple of years.

“The Houston Texans have spent the past few NFL seasons lying to us. Lying to their fans. And they’re right back at it as camp 2026 looms in the not-so-distant future,” Antoine wrote, in a scathing analysis of the situation.

“They continue to put a lot of faith back into C.J. Stroud. And they shouldn’t. Stroud still has the talent that made Houston believe it had found a franchise quarterback.

“His rookie season created a standard that was not fake. He can process, throw with touch, and control a game when he is comfortable. But the last two seasons have made the conversation more complicated than the Texans probably want to admit.”

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Antoine added that the Texans could find themselves in a ‘dangerous’ place if Stroud fails to live up to expectations again in 2026.

“Stroud has had chances to steady the offense and did not always do it,” he continued.

“His playoff performance against New England was the clearest warning sign, with four interceptions and a completion rate that told the same story as the film.

“He looked rushed. Uncomfortable. He looked far removed from the calm rookie quarterback who made everything feel ahead of schedule. And that is the issue.

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“Houston has a defense good enough to win big. It has invested in the offensive line. It added pieces to make the offense more stable.

“Now the bet is that Stroud will simply return to form because the environment is better. Who knows? Maybe he will.

“But if he does not, the Texans are not just dealing with a quarterback slump. They are dealing with a roster that is ready before its most important player is. That is a dangerous place to be.”

With warning bells ringing in Houston, Stroud will need to step up this season to secure what was once a nailed-on contract extension.

But if he struggles, a certain ‘petty’ quarterback might be quick to jump back on social media and rub it in.

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