Justin Fields had to leave the game against the Minnesota Vikings after suffering an injury to his throwing hand. He didn’t return, leaving backup Tyson Bagent to lead the offense. Head coach Matt Eberflus said X-rays were negative. However, it was also reported that Fields couldn’t grip a ball when asked. That is never a good sign. The quarterback will undergo an MRI within the next 24 hours to determine the extent of the damage. That was when Jay Glazer of Fox Sports delivered some new details.
It appears Fields dislocated his right thumb.
Breaking: Bears QB Justin Fields dislocated his thumb today, popped it back in and he tried to play but was unable to grip ball. X-rays were negative but because of dislocation will need MRI tomorrow to find out full severity of damage @NFLonFOX
▫️ Justin Fields suffered dislocated thumb ▫️ Deebo Samuel & Christian McCaffrey will both get MRIs tomorrow ▫️ Jimmy Garoppolo transferred to hospital mid-game after suffering back injury pic.twitter.com/AEwHGRpGLu
Nobody yet knows the extent of the damage. Maybe it’s not as severe as feared. However, a dislocation on any finger for a quarterback is never good. The thumb is particularly bad, given its importance for gripping the football. The typical recovery time from a dislocation is four weeks. However, it’s six for a quarterback. That means it’s possible the Bears may not see Fields again until after the bye week on December 10th against the Detroit Lions. It doesn’t get more disastrous than that.
Justin Fields’ Bears career may have ended just like that.
Everybody had hoped he’d at least get to play a full season to see if he could be the guy long-term or not. If the MRI reveals ligament damage, as can often be the case with dislocations, he’s likely headed for Injured Reserve. That means missing at least the next four games. Chicago is already 1-5. There is a strong possibility they’re 1-9 or 2-8 by the time he gets back with the season long over. There won’t be much left he can do at that point. The Bears will have their eyes on the 2024 draft by that point, scouting his potential replacements.
One can only feel sorry for the kid. He has battled against difficult odds from the moment he got to Chicago. Nobody can ever fault his work ethic or toughness. However, his inconsistent play and inability to stay healthy for a full season will become the primary notes on why he’s yet another in a long line of failures. Not all of it is on him. The Bears didn’t do a great job building around him. That said, too many opportunities were wasted, and Fields didn’t do enough to protect himself.
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