The will-he or won’t-he drama surrounding Justin Fields’ playing status this week didn’t last long.
Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus told reporters at Halas Hall that Fields will *NOT* play in Sunday’s season finale against the Minnesota Vikings:
Eberflus said Fields came into Halas Hall on Monday with a hip injury. And after tests from the medical staff, it turns out Fields has a hip strain. Moreover, it is a serious enough strain that will keep him off the playing field on Sunday. For what it’s worth, Eberflus added that Fields’ hip issue isn’t a long-term one. But it is serious enough to sit him down in what is otherwise a meaningless game for a Bears team whose fans are holding out hope for the best possible draft positioning. Nathan Peterman is starting in Fields’ place (in case that is something you care deeply about for any number of reasons).
And with that, Fields’ 2022 season has come to an end. What a year it was for QB1. Fields saw Year 1 to Year 2 improvements in completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns, and passer rating. He also saw his TD% go up significantly and the INT% drop by mere percentage points. Sure, Fields’ rushing exploits have been well-documented. But the incremental growth as a passer has been nice to see. Overall, Fields showed resiliency after a rough start, provided ample signs of growth throughout the year, and flashed enough brilliance to have folks feeling good about a Bears quarterback for the first time in a long time. If this year was a test of Fields’ mettle, he passed with flying colors.
Now get him some help. Please.