Billy Edwards Jr. came in as the handpicked quarterback for Luke Fickell's new offensive coordinator, Jeff Grimes. He was going to help Wisconsin make the most of a brutal schedule, but was injured after just a few plays in his Wisconsin jersey. He tried to come back when Wisconsin played his former team, Maryland, and then was injured again. Edwards would never play for Wisconsin again, despite reports that he could.
After he announced yesterday that he was planning to transfer and pursue a medical redshirt for this season, Wisconsin fans are ripping him for being a quitter for taking NIL money and then bailing on the team and Luke Fickell. He may be the biggest villain for the program now.
So he took the NIL money, saw how things were going to go, sat out most of the year rather than come back, and will try to hit the jackpot again next year. Talk about frauds. https://t.co/mGpo01BQ4V
— Travis Wilson (@TravisBOUND) December 29, 2025
Good luck to whatever program gives this quitter his next bag https://t.co/I2HOMfZjSe
— In Development 🎯 (@j__1252) December 29, 2025
I been saying it for 3 months that was this quitters plan. https://t.co/APBJ80wSfY
— EILERS (@ryanbeilers) December 29, 2025
NIL in Madison is just charity apparently. pic.twitter.com/0fp7hft9Q6
— Badger Barstool - Hockey School (@badgerbarstool) December 29, 2025
🎶I will remember you, will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by, weep not for the memories🎶 https://t.co/YK0oH3rX6i
— Scary Alvarez (@barryisthedon) December 29, 2025
Wisconsin fans can't believe how the quarterback situation went this season
It's hard to say whether or not Billy Edwards Jr. was ever healthy enough to play, and if he was being smart and not looking to injure himself anymore. However, his initial injury was a knee sprain, which is about a five-week healing process at most. He was able to return, maybe a little too early, after just three weeks of healing against Maryland, but he wanted to play his former team.
He was heavily wrapped but re-aggravated his injury, resetting his timeline. Putting him in line to come back after a few more weeks if healing went right, but then he disappeared into the depth chart and never returned. Fans assumed he quit on his team because Fickell made some comments about trying to get him into the games, but Edwards said he wasn't ready.
So, many assume he saw the writing on the wall, knew he could get a medical redshirt if he sat out the rest of the season, and did exactly that. Now, he's off to a new school, and Wisconsin fans will forever call him a quitter. When reviewing all the facts, it certainly seems like he was.