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DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN
HOUSTON — Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said Wednesday he wasn’t trying to “little bro” Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams during their postgame handshake Sunday night, an interaction that drew attention on social media.
Stroud was mic’d up during the Texans’ 19-13 win over the Bears on “Sunday Night Football.” After the game, Stroud embraced Williams and provided advice to the No. 1 pick.
He told the rookie “Good job out there,” and to “stop taking those hits,” after Williams was sacked seven times and took 11 quarterback hits while finishing 23-of-37 passing for 174 yards with two interceptions.
Williams began to walk away, but Stroud pulled Williams back into the conversation and said, “Come here. Learn from those mistakes. And everything that you got, bro, is in you already, bro. You’re going to be a hell of a player in this league.”
Stroud, speaking to reporters Wednesday, made it clear he was trying to help Williams during their interaction and wasn’t trying to belittle him.
“I was not trying to little bro him or anything. He knows that, too. I have a ton of respect for him,” Stroud said. “I had so many guys coming to me after games last year and that meant the world to me that those guys even thought about giving me advice.
“So, I just try to give back to what the game is giving me. So, I wish him the best man. I want him to do amazing in this league. I think he will.”
Social media users focused on Williams’ body language, noting he appeared dismissive of Stroud’s advice.
Williams had little to say about their interaction during his postgame news conference, saying, “We shook hands at the end of the game. That was about it.”
Stroud didn’t view Williams’ response negatively and “wants him to do extremely well.”
“I don’t think he was trying to be any type of way [toward me], he was just upset that they lost,” Stroud said. “I totally understand. So I have a ton of respect for that guy, man.”