Justin Fields took a blow to the head that left him woozy but kept playing in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The hit happened early in the fourth quarter with Fields’ Chicago Bears trailing the Chiefs 41-0. The hit left Fields woozy, and he left the game on fourth down for a sideline medical evaluation. He returned to the game on Chicago’s next possession after being medically cleared and finished the final minutes of the 41-10 loss.
The hit happened on a third-down scramble from the 6-yard line on third-and-goal. Linebacker Willie Gay was in on the tackle, and his elbow made contact with Fields’ face mask, sending Fields’ head snapping back.
Fields was visibly woozy after the play, catching the attention of his teammate DJ Moore, who pulled Fields away as his QB attempted to rejoin the huddle. Moore directed Fields toward the Bears’ sideline.
With Fields briefly sidelined, the Bears kicked a field goal rather than go for it on fourth down. On Chicago’s next possession, Fields returned to the game with Kansas City leading 41-3. He continued to play until the end of the 41-10 loss.
After the game, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was asked about Fields’ medical status and his decision to return to a game that was already lost and had already seen the Chiefs pull QB Patrick Mahomes in favor of backup Blaine Gabbert.
“He was cleared,” Eberflus said. “We were going for it on fourth down there. He came out, so I decided to kick the field goal. Then he was cleared, and he was ready to go.”
Fields didn’t address the incident in his postgame news conference.
Justin Fields returned to Sunday’s game after a blow to the head from Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
NFL standards on return to play
NFL teams face stricter standards for clearing players to return to play following head contact after a second blow to the head in two weeks left Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa hospitalized last season. Tagovailoa was cleared after…
..
