With the New England Patriots heading into a "Thursday Night Football" showdown against the Chicago Bears, much of the focus is on the teams' star quarterbacks, Drake Maye and Caleb Williams. Patriots safety Kevin Byard previously spent two seasons in Chicago as Williams' teammate. He gave his honest assessment of the Bears quarterback while speaking to reporters in the locker room before Thursday's matchup.
"He has great intangibles. … He’s a competitor. He wants to be one of the greatest quarterbacks to play this game. I’m a huge fan of him, honestly.
You talked about all the physical tools; it’s all there," Byard said. "But I just think the care — his willingness to go out there and fight every day for his teammates [stands out]. Excited to play against him.
Hopefully our defense can have a better day. … Obviously, him and Drake is gonna be the whole marquee matchup. Hopefully, we get the good side of it," he told reporters. More news: Eagles HC Nick Sirianni Hit With NFL Punishment for In-Game Conduct: Report Byard played the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Bears, which were Williams' rookie and sophomore seasons.
Williams emerged as a star quarterback capable of delivering in high-pressure situations during his second NFL season, helping the Bears secure important victories, win the NFC North, and earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC. It was also a strong season for Byard in Chicago, who earned his third career Pro Bowl selection. His seven interceptions last season with Chicago were the second-most in a single season of his career.
Following the season, Byard became a free agent and signed a one-year, $9 million deal to play for the Patriots. He's yet to record an interception with New England but has registered 26 total tackles. The Patriots rank sixth in the NFL in total defense, allowing 300.8 yards per game, just ahead of the Bears at 302.3 yards per game.
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