On August 9, 2025, Jason McIntyre, filling in for Colin Cowherd on FS1’s The Herd, sparked significant backlash for his strong criticism of Caleb Williams as the <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/football/nfl/”>NFL preseason kicked off. McIntyre expressed skepticism about Williams’s abilities as the Chicago Bears’ quarterback, drawing an unflattering comparison that upset many fans and analysts.
McIntyre Questions Caleb Williams’s NFL Readiness
During his guest hosting stint, McIntyre discussed the Chicago Bears and their new head coach Ben Johnson, focusing heavily on second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Despite the widespread excitement around Williams, the former FS1 personality made it clear that he doubts the USC star’s effectiveness at the NFL level. McIntyre cited statistics pointing to Williams’s struggles in pocket passing, ranking poorly in passer rating, yards per attempt, and completion percentage among NFL quarterbacks.
The Bears are treating Caleb Williams like a rookie, so he has to unlearn everything he learned last year. Obviously, some of the videos aren’t great. The net-missing video isn’t ideal, but I have a comparison that’s scary — though not off base, I think. Some pocket passing stats from Caleb Williams: 24th in passer rating, 29th in yards per attempt in the pocket, and 25th in completion percentage in the pocket. That’s out of 34 quarterbacks, guys,
McIntyre remarked.
He went on to suggest that Williams’s playstyle mirrored that of infamous former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel.
That’s why my comparison is a little bit Johnny Football, some Johnny Manziel. I just wonder if Caleb is so on edge in the pocket that his confidence is shot, and his default is, ‘Let me just tuck and run and see if I can make a play.’ Because that’s what happened to Manziel, and he flamed out very quickly.
Reaction from NFL Fans and Critics
McIntyre’s remarks quickly drew sharp criticism from fans and commentators on social media, many of whom called his take inaccurate and unfair. Several users highlighted that Caleb Williams’s college numbers vastly outpace Johnny Manziel’s entire NFL career, disputing McIntyre’s comparison.
This needs to be deleted from the internet immediately,
one social media user commented.
Caleb already has more than double the career passing yards and nearly triple the career touchdowns of Johnny Manziel,
another fan responded.
He has more than lapped his entire NFL career in 1 season. What are you talking about?
Others criticized FS1’s approach to commentary, accusing McIntyre of resorting to controversial remarks to gain attention rather than providing thoughtful analysis.
I get that FS1 is trying to corner the market on stupid stuff but this dude waits for stuff to no longer be a thing and then throws the stupidest garbage out there to get clicks,
remarked one viewer.
This show is bad for sports television,
another user added.
FS1 Stands by Jason McIntyre Despite Criticism
Despite the backlash, FS1 has reaffirmed its commitment to McIntyre, recently extending his contract for three more years. According to reports from Awful Announcing, this new agreement will keep McIntyre at the network for over a decade, aligning his tenure alongside Colin Cowherd, who renewed his own contract earlier this year after discussions with ESPN.
The deal will bring his run at the network past a decade by its end. McIntyre’s new contract aligns directly with that of Colin Cowherd, who re-upped with FS1 earlier this year after entertaining talks with ESPN,
the report noted.
What This Means for the NFL Season Ahead
As the NFL preseason progresses, McIntyre will continue to have a prominent platform to share his opinions, potentially delivering more contentious commentary on players such as Caleb Williams. The pushback to his recent criticism reveals the strong support Williams holds among the football community, who remain eager to see how he evolves under the Chicago Bears’ new leadership.
The growing debate highlights the high expectations placed on Williams and the challenges rookies face adjusting to the professional level. How his performance unfolds could determine the accuracy of both his supporters’ and critics’ projections this season.