Immediate reactions to Caleb Williams' injury in the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bears' Week 2 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings included just about everybody jumping to one overall conclusion.
The way Williams fell to the ground, in pain, made it look like what was the absolute worst-case scenario.
That was an Achilles injury. It had to be. That's what it looked like. That was everybody's guess.
But after the game, the Achilles was ruled out.
Williams' injury was officially ruled a hamstring.
Caleb Williams appears to have avoided an Achilles injury, but he's not out of the woods yet
Okay, okay ... Bears fans can breathe a little easier. The fact that this isn't an Achilles injury means that Williams has officially avoided what would have been the worst-case scenario.
Make no mistake about it. Basically anything is better than an Achilles injury.
We rarely see a notable player fully come back from tearing their Achilles and play at the same level they did before getting injured. Dan Marino comes to mind, but that was all the way back in 1994.
Aaron Rodgers did it ... but that's not a great example. He was far from the same player upon his return.
Head coach Ben Johnson initially thought the injury was to Williams' knee, and of course, that might have meant the ACL.
"I'm actually happy it’s nothing with the knee. You know, that was my first inclination," Johnson said of the initial diagnosis.
No, it isn't the ACL and it isn't the Achilles.
This we can all be thankful for. But, even though it isn't an Achilles injury, just how long could Williams be out with a hamstring issue?
Assuming it's a hamstring tear, or even a severe strain, Williams could still miss the entire regular season.
Caleb Williams could still miss the rest of the season with his hamstring injury
According to multiple sources, a typical hamstring tear/severe strain can take anywhere from three to six months to fully heal.
This is where the further testing is going to come into play. Johnson noted, when talking to the media, that he will know more about the severity of the injury on Monday.
Hamstrings are also a very tricky injury. Even a minor hamstring strain can linger a couple of weeks, if not more.
Of course, judging from Williams' immediate reaction and being in visible, severe pain, it's safe to assume his case may be on the more severe end.
So, let's say Williams is out six months.
That means, the Bears are going to ride with Tyson Bagent.
Is it any coincidence Chicago chose to extend Bagent last offseason? They have the utmost faith in the former undrafted Shepherd product.
Heck, Bagent just about led the Bears to a comeback win on a moment's notice after Williams' injury.
It will be interesting to see how Bagent steps in and just how competitive the Bears are, this season, without their franchise passer.
While the Bears get ready to support Bagent and move forward, Williams will begin his road to recovery.
Read more: 7 instant takeaways from Bears' soul-crushing Week 2 loss to Vikings
And, again, Bears fans can be thankful for Williams avoiding what would have been a complete and total nightmare.
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