Former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth sparked debate after saying Caleb Williams was "not a good quarterback" and criticizing his ability to play on schedule during The Stinkin' Truth Podcast.

Defending the Chicago quarterback, Chicago Bears analyst Ben Devine referenced both John Elway and Jared Goff, arguing Schlereth was applying an inconsistent standard while overlooking what makes Williams a unique prospect.

"Mark forgets his QB, John Elway, had a career 56% completion percentage," wrote analyst Ben Devine in his latest X post captioning a podcast video.

Responding to Schlereth's comments on The Stinkin' Truth Podcast, Devine added:

"Mark only pushes Caleb down because of Bo Nix and Denver bias. Mark wants Caleb's unicorn traits to be like Jared Goff's. Don't be like Mark!"

Devine argued Schlereth was applying inconsistent standards by pointing to John Elway's modest career completion percentage while expecting Williams to develop like Jared Goff, whose success has come through a far more traditional pocket-passing style than Williams' off-script athleticism.

Williams has still delivered his best as he led the team to an 11-6 record and a playoff, holding the Bears' single-season passing record with 3,942 yards.

As Schlereth talked about Williams' not playing on schedule, this has also been discussed in brief by the Bears HC Ben Johnson and QB coach J.T. Barrett.

He has been the second-most consistent of the four QBs of his class. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, both of whom dealt with complicated injuries, are one season down in NFL experience, per Mike Moraitis of Sports Illustrated.

While the criticism surrounding Caleb Williams continues to dominate headlines, the Bears QB appears to be noting every opinion without saying a word.

Caleb Williams sends quiet message after NFL analyst's harsh take

Caleb Williams never directly responded to Schlereth's criticism, but his recent social media activity suggested he was paying attention.

"On his podcast,@markschlereth flat out says, 'Caleb Williams is not a good quarterback.' Then comps him right now to Kyler Murray. Thoughts?" wrote Ben Devine on his @Chicago_NFL post.

After Devine publicly defended him against Schlereth's criticism, Williams appeared to acknowledge the discussion by reposting the analyst's comments on social media, as per Anthony Miller of Bear Goggles On.

Whether Schlereth's criticism proves justified will be decided on the field, but Williams has already made it clear he's aware of the debate. The 2026 season will give Williams his next opportunity to answer Schlereth's criticism on the field.

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Written by

Hetal Moleshri

Edited by

Rudra Dubey