Caleb Williams, Aidan Hutchinson headline NFL Week 13 quotes
NFL Week 13 had no shortage of entertainment.
Ahead of “Monday Night Football” between the New England Patriots and New York Giants, this week was a good reminder that some of the best moments in the game come from what’s said before and after the whistle.
Players and coaches carried their teams’ momentum from the field to the podium, delivering remarkable lines in their post-match sessions.
From bold statements to perfectly timed one-liners, here are the best NFL quotes in Week 13.
The Bears had plenty to celebrate after beating the Philadelphia Eagles 24-15 in the final game of the holiday slate. With its fifth straight victory, Chicago became sole owner of first place in the NFC North heading into a Dec. 7 game against the Green Bay Packers.
In true celebratory fashion, rookie head coach Ben Johnson went shirtless during the postgame in the locker room as players surrounded and cheered him on.
The celebration culminated in the handing out of free hot dogs at Chicago’s Wieners Circle stand, which said they would if Johnson took off his shirt. Williams said that moment proved his coach knows how to give people what they want.
“I think it’s easy to be brave when you’re winning games and it’s all sunshine and rainbows.” — Detroit Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson
The Packers swept the season series against the Lions, winning a potentially crucial tiebreaker in the NFC North and strengthening their hold on second place in the division.
The two-time defending champions North, however, are moving in the opposite direction. Aidan Hutchinson acknowledged the Lions have faced real adversity and said there’s a clear urgency to respond Thursday when they face the Dallas Cowboys.
“What did I say? They’re going to bed.” — Bear CB CJ Gardner-Johnson
Gardner-Johnson knew his Week 13 opponent well — he had two stints in Philadelphia, including winning Super Bowl LIX with the Eagles. As he headed to the visitors’ locker room at Lincoln Financial Field, he reminded everyone that he expected to come away with a victory against his former team.
With his team trailing 29-14 on the road against the Baltimore Ravens, Burrow looked to exploit the clock – and he didn’t hesitate to do so.
NBC’s field microphones picked up audio from Burrow, reminding his offense that they were in no hurry, and since the stands at M&T Bank Stadium were fairly empty at the time, crowd noise was not an issue and they easily recorded the audio.
It was a rough outing for Rodgers and the Steelers offense, with the quarterback going 10 of 21 for 117 yards in a 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The defense struggled just as much, giving up 249 yards on the ground and letting Buffalo dominate time of possession for 42 minutes.
After the match, Rodgers did not reprimand the fans who booed the team at Acrisure Stadium.
“The heartbeat of this football team is different.” – Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys HC
Schottenheimer’s line matches how the Cowboys closed out their Thanksgiving win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
After a back-and-forth, Dak Prescott threw what ended up being the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The defense then did its part by forcing a three-and-out to set up a double-digit field goal and cushion. Even when Kansas City responded, Dallas slammed the door running out the clock — exactly the kind of finish Schottenheimer meant when he talked about the “heartbeat” of this team.
