Justin Fields takes over as Chicago Bears quarterback

It’s Justin Fields time in Chicago.

Andy Dalton, the Chicago Bears’ starting quarterback, was injured on a first-quarter quarterback rush in which he stepped out of bounds untouched. He came up limping after the play, and ultimately hobbled to the sidelines. The injury and its severity remain unclear, though it appears to be a non-contact, lower-left leg injury. The Bears have replaced Dalton with Fields, their first-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.

After being taken 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields came into a Bears system that had recently signed a veteran quarterback in Dalton. Head coach Matt Nagy eventually named Dalton the starter, and he has shut down any debate on the topic, simply stating that Fields’ time will come.

Although Fields has yet to start an NFL game, he scored his first-career NFL touchdown in Week 1 of the regular season, carrying the ball from three yards out for a score. Nagy’s plan, barring an injury of this sort to Dalton, appeared to be easing Fields into the rotation.

Fields journeyed from Athens to Columbus

A native of Kennesaw, Georgia, Fields was a consensus five-star recruit coming out of high school, and was largely considered one of the best — if not the best — quarterbacks in the Class of 2018. He decided to stay in state, committing to the University of Georgia, but did not stay for long.

Fields was forced into a backup role his freshman season, as Jake Fromm took over quarterback duties for Georgia. He decided to enter the transfer portal and later announced via Twitter that he was committing to Ohio State.

Fields proceeded to have a stellar career with the Buckeyes, leading them to a 20-2 record and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances. Last season, he completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 2,100 yards — an average of 262.5 per game due to the shortened season — along with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Yet, in the weeks leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields was criticized by many draft analysts that said he was lacking intangibles, prompting Ohio State alumnus Kirk Herbstreit to get defensive.