Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had a close call in the third quarter of Thursday’s game against the Detroit Lions. While scrambling for a first down, Williams found himself on the receiving end of a controversial hit from Lions linebacker Jack Campbell­. As Williams neared the sideline, Campbell lunged at him, striking just above his left knee. The awkward impact sent Williams tumbling to the ground in a concerning fashion.

Despite the scare, Williams surprised everyone by bouncing back quickly. He headed to the medical tent for evaluation but returned without missing a single snap. In a display of resilience, the rookie threw three second-half touchdowns, giving the Bears a chance to stay in the game.

After the 23-20 loss, Williams addressed the hit during a postgame interview. When asked about his knee, he didn’t hold back. “Knee’s fine,” he said, according to Pro Football Talk. “That play was funky. [Let’s] just put it that way. I didn’t really appreciate the play. He just kind of dove straight at my knee. So I didn’t really get that.”

Williams admitted he was frustrated by the incident but relieved the injury wasn’t serious. “Definitely kind of frustrated about that one,” he added. “Knee’s good. Nothing wrong with it. Think I just got a bruise. But the play was funky.”

Though the play raised eyebrows, Campbell’s hit was technically legal since Williams hadn’t slid or signaled he was giving himself up as a runner. Critics also pointed out that Williams’ late-game clock management ultimately hurt the Bears’ chances of pulling off a win. While the rookie showed flashes of brilliance, moments like this are a reminder of the learning curve he faces in his first NFL season.