Joe Buck Discusses Feud With Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams and Broadcast Partner Troy Aikman
If you thought the tension between Caleb Williams and the “Monday Night Football” booth was just about inconsistent quarterback play, think again. The drama between Caleb Williams and the legendary broadcast duo of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck has officially moved from the gridiron to the Zoom waiting room.
For weeks, we’ve watched Aikman throw subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, jabs at Williams’ performance during broadcasts. Williams, never one to shy away from the noise, fired back on social media and in press conferences. But now, Buck has peeled back the curtain to reveal that this feud isn’t just about completion percentages—it’s about being ghosted.
Buck Spills the Tea On Production Meetings
In the world of NFL broadcasting, the pre-game production meeting is sacred ground. It is the scheduled time when the voices of the game sit down with the star quarterback and head coach to get the inside scoop, build a rapport, and figure out the narrative for the millions watching at home. It’s standard operating procedure.
However, in a recent appearance on the “SI Media with Jimmy Traina” podcast, Buck revealed that Williams didn’t just show up late—he completely blew them off. And not just once. According to Buck, the Bears’ signal-caller left two of the biggest names in sports broadcasting staring at a blank screen while they waited for a meeting that never happened.
“We sat on a Zoom waiting forever, and he just never came,” Buck said, sounding less like a Hall of Fame announcer and more like a guy who just got stood up for a coffee date. “I don’t know what else we can do.”
Two Missed Connections: Week 1 and Week 6
The frustration from the booth makes a lot more sense now. Buck clarified that this wasn’t a one-time miscommunication. The first incident happened right out of the gate during Week 1. It happened again in Week 6 before the Commanders game. While Williams later claimed he tried to call and that the timing didn’t line up with his lifting schedule, Buck wasn’t buying the excuse. The announcer emphasized that these meetings are specifically set up around the player’s schedule to accommodate them.
“That’s the part that bothered me the most,” Buck said. “This was on your guys’ schedule.”
The Fallout Between the Bears and the Booth
This context changes everything about the “feud.” When Aikman criticized Williams’ play later in the season, it wasn’t just analysis; there was likely some lingering irritation from being disrespected professionally. It is hard to give a player the benefit of the doubt on national television when they couldn’t be bothered to hop on a call with you a few days prior.
For Williams, this is a “welcome to the NFL” moment. Talent gets you on the field, but professionalism keeps the media wolves at bay. Ghosting Buck and Aikman is a bold strategy for a young quarterback, and judging by the headlines this week, it’s not paying off.
As the Bears look toward a massive rivalry game against the Packers, the last thing they need is their quarterback fighting a war on two fronts. One against the Green Bay defense, and one against the guys holding the microphones.
