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Justin Fields

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Justin Field.

Justin Fields
refer to caption
Fields with Ohio State in 2019
No. 1 – Chicago Bears
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1999-03-05) March 5, 1999 (age 22)
Kennesaw, Georgia
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:227 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:Harrison (Kennesaw)
College:
  • Georgia (2018)
  • Ohio State (2019–2020)
NFL Draft:2021 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11
Career history
  • Chicago Bears (2021–present)
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2021
TD–INT:7–10
Passing yards:1,870
Completion percentage:58.9
Passer rating:73.2
Rushing yards:420
Rushing touchdowns:2
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Justin Skyler Fields (born March 5, 1999) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Georgia, he played college football at Ohio State, where he was twice recognized as the Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year and made an appearance in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship. He was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Early years

Fields attended Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. In two years as the starting quarterback for Harrison, he totaled 4,187 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, 2,096 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns.[1] In the summer before his senior year in 2017, he attended the Elite 11 quarterback competition and was named MVP of the event.[2] Late in his senior year, in a game that was nationally televised on ESPN, he suffered a broken finger that required season ending surgery. After his senior season, he was named Mr. Georgia Football by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta, as well as first-team all-state.[3] In addition to football, Fields was also a standout baseball player for Harrison High.[1]

Fields was rated as a five-star recruit and was the highest rated dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2018 by ESPN, Rivals.com, and 247Sports.com.[4][5][6] ESPN listed him as the top recruit overall, while Rivals and 247Sports ranked him second behind fellow quarterback Trevor Lawrence.[7]

In October 2017, Fields committed to the University of Georgia to play college football after withdrawing a previous commitment to Penn State.[8] His senior year was documented in the second season of the Netflix series QB1: Beyond the Lights (2018).[9]

College career

Georgia

In his true freshman season at Georgia in 2018, Fields served as the backup to starting quarterback Jake Fromm. In Georgia's season opener against Austin Peay, Fields made his debut in the second quarter and started the second half. He completed seven of eight passes on the day, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Nauta in the 45–0 victory.[10] On September 29, against Tennessee, he had five carries for 45 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 38–12 victory.[11] In a late-season 66–27 rout of UMass, Fields threw two touchdowns passes and ran for another on the ground, finishing with 121 passing yards and 100 rushing yards.[12]

During the 2018 season, Fields saw action in 12 games, totaling 328 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 266 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns.[13] Following Georgia's loss to Alabama in the 2018 SEC Championship Game, Fields announced his intent to transfer to Ohio State.[14][15]

Ohio State

Fields, who would normally be required to sit out for one year due to NCAA transfer rules, sought a waiver to be able to play immediately for Ohio State.[16] Fields enlisted the help of attorney Thomas Mars, who helped secure immediate eligibility for several transfers from Ole Miss in 2018, including quarterback Shea Patterson.[16] Mars and Fields argued that Fields should be granted a waiver for immediate eligibility due to an NCAA guideline that waives the waiting period for athletes with "documented mitigating circumstances that are outside the student-athlete’s control and directly impact the health, safety and well-being of the student-athlete."[16] Fields was subject to an incident at Georgia in which a Bulldogs baseball player used a racial slur against Fields.[17] This was believed to be the main incident constituting Fields' claim of "mitigating circumstances", although the full contents of the waiver request were never made public.[18] On February 8, 2019, Fields was granted immediate eligibility for the 2019 season by the NCAA.[19]

2019

In Fields' first season with the Buckeyes, he helped lead the team to a Big Ten Championship with a 34–21 victory over Wisconsin, and a spot in the College Football Playoff.[20] Fields finished in third in voting for the Heisman Trophy, was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference.[21] In the 2019 Fiesta Bowl against Clemson, he had 320 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in the 29–23 loss in the College Football Playoff semifinal.[22] He finished the season with 3,273 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, and three interceptions to go along with 484 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns.[23]

2020

Fields entered the 2020 season as a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy.[24] The season was played amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with the Big Ten Conference ultimately opting for a shortened conference-only schedule after initially canceling the season. Fields was vocal in his support of playing the season, and he started an online petition that gathered over 320,000 signatures in support of that goal.[25]

Fields helped lead the Buckeyes to another undefeated regular season and Big Ten Championship with a 22–10 victory over Northwestern. Ohio State received another bid to the College Football Playoff, playing a rematch against Clemson. Ohio State was victorious in the rematch, 49–28, with Fields throwing 385 passing yards and six touchdowns in the game. Fields took a hard hit to the midsection in the game, and played through the injury in a performance that Sports Illustrated dubbed "legendary".[26] The Buckeyes advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship, where they lost to Alabama, 52–24. Fields finished the shorted 2020 season with 2,100 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, and added 383 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on the ground.[27] He repeated as the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year and unanimous first-team all-conference. On January 18, 2021, Fields announced that he would be forgoing his final year of eligibility to enter the 2021 NFL Draft.[28]

Statistics

Season Games Passing Rushing
GP GS Record Comp Att Pct Yards Avg TD Int Rate Att Yards Avg TD
Georgia Bulldogs
2018 12 0 0−0 27 39 69.2 328 8.4 4 0 173.7 42 266 6.3 4
Ohio State Buckeyes
2019 14 14 13−1 238 354 67.2 3,273 9.2 41 3 181.4 137 484 3.5 10
2020 8 8 7−1 158 225 70.2 2,100 9.3 22 6 175.6 81 383 4.7 5
Career[29] 34 22 20−2 423 618 68.4 5,701 9.2 67 9 178.8 260 1,133 4.4 19

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split Broad jump
6 ft 2+3⁄4 in
(1.90 m) 		227 lb
(103 kg) 		32+1⁄2 in
(0.83 m) 		9+1⁄8 in
(0.23 m)		 4.46 s 1.59 s 2.60 s 9 ft 11 in
(3.02 m)
All values from Pro Day[30][31]

Fields was selected 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, who traded up with the New York Giants in exchange for the 20th overall pick, their fifth-round pick in 2021, and their first and fourth-round picks in 2022.[32] A top quarterback prospect in the draft, Fields was one of five taken in first round. He signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $18.8 million fully guaranteed, on June 10, 2021.[33]

Although Fields was named the second-string quarterback behind Andy Dalton, he made his NFL debut in the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, taking the field on four plays. He scored a five-yard rushing touchdown and completed two passes for ten yards in the 14–34 defeat.[34] After Dalton suffered a knee injury during a Week 2 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, Fields entered the game in the third quarter. Fields completed six of 13 passes for 60 yards and one interception while also rushing for 31 yards as the Bears won 20–17.[35] With Dalton remaining sidelined from his injury, he was named the starter in the following week's matchup against the Cleveland Browns.[36] His starting debut saw him sacked nine times, four and a half of which were delivered by defensive end Myles Garrett, while completing six of 20 passes for 68 yards and rushing for 12 yards. The Bears, who finished with 47 yards of offense, lost 6–26.[37]

Fields won his first career start the next week in a 24–14 victory against the Detroit Lions. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 209 yards and had one interception off a deflected pass.[38] After Fields was named the primary starter for the remainder of the season, he led the Bears to a 20–9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5, completing 12 of 20 passes for 111 and throwing his first touchdown pass to tight end Jesper Horsted.[39][40] In Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 22-year-old Fields faced the 44-year-old Tom Brady, which was the largest age difference between starting quarterbacks in NFL history. Fields' sack total increased to 22 during the game, making him the most sacked quarterback of the season. He also committed five turnovers – three interceptions and two lost fumbles – as the Bears were defeated 3–38.[41] Fields had his first 100 yard rushing game the next week against the San Francisco 49ers, where he threw for 175 yards and a touchdown and also scored a rushing touchdown. However, the game ended in a 22–33 defeat, with Fields throwing an interception on the Bears' final drive.[42] In the following week's Monday Night Football matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fields threw for a career-high 291 yards, but despite rallying to give the Bears a 27–26 lead in the fourth quarter, the Steelers pulled away to win 27–29.[43]

In Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens, Fields exited the game during the third quarter with an injury to his ribs. He was replaced by Dalton in the 13–16 loss.[44] After the game, it was announced that Fields had multiple cracked ribs, which forced him to miss the Bears' next two matchups.[45][46] He returned in a 30–45 loss to the Green Bay Packers, but was sidelined again after suffering an ankle injury in the following week's defeat to the Minnesota Vikings.[47]

NFL career statistics

Year Team Games Passing Rushing Sacks Fumbles
GP GS Record Comp Att Pct Yards Avg TD Int Rate Att Yds Avg TD Sck SckY Fum Lost
2021 CHI 12 10 2−8 159 270 58.9 1,870 6.9 7 10 73.2 72 420 5.8 2 36 264 12 5
Career 12 10 2−8 159 270 58.9 1,870 6.9 7 10 73.2 72 420 5.8 2 36 264 12 5

Personal life

Fields was diagnosed with epilepsy as a freshman in high school. His condition was made public during his pre-draft interviews with NFL teams in 2021.[48][49] In high school, Fields had a score of 29 on his ACT and held a 3.9 grade point average.[50]

Field's younger sister, Jaiden, attends and plays softball at the University of Georgia.[51]

References

  1. ^ a b "Justin Fields: Player Profile". OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Ohio State University. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  2. ^ Myerberg, Paul (July 4, 2017). "In-depth look at the quarterbacks in this year's Elite 11 class". USAToday.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  3. ^ Keneely, Kevin (January 26, 2018). "Justin Fields Named "Mr. Georgia Football"". UGAWire. USA Today Sports. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Justin Fields, Harrison, Dual-Threat Quarterback". 247Sports.com. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  5. ^ "Justin Fields, 2018 Dual-threat quarterback". Rivals.com. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  6. ^ "Football Recruiting - Justin Fields". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  7. ^ "2018 Top Football Recruits". 247Sports.com. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  8. ^ Rapp, Timothy (October 6, 2017). "5-Star QB Prospect Justin Fields Commits to Georgia over FSU, LSU, More". BleacherReport.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  9. ^ "Where to Find "QB1: Beyond the Lights" Season 2, Featuring Justin Fields". On Tap Sports Net. On Tap Sports Net. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  10. ^ "Fromm throws 2 TD passes as No. 3 Georgia routs Austin Peay". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  11. ^ "Tennessee at Georgia Box Score, September 29, 2018". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  12. ^ "Freshmen Fields, Cook power No. 5 Georgia past UMass, 66-27". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 17, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  13. ^ "Justin Fields 2018 Game Log". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  14. ^ Wolken, Dan (December 17, 2018). "Justin Fields intending to transfer from Georgia". USAToday.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  15. ^ Shapiro, Michael (January 4, 2019). "Ex-Georgia QB Justin Fields Announces Decision to Transfer to Ohio State". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  16. ^ a b c Caron, Emily (January 9, 2019). "Ex-Georgia QB Justin Fields to Ask NCAA for Immediate Eligibility at Ohio State". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  17. ^ Gardner, Steve (October 3, 2018). "Georgia dismisses baseball player Adam Sasser for allegedly using racial slur against QB". USAToday.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  18. ^ Newport, Kyle (January 4, 2019). "Report: Justin Fields Seeking Immediate Eligibility over Racial Slurs at Georgia". BleacherReport.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  19. ^ Sallee, Barrett (February 8, 2019). "Ohio State QB Justin Fields granted immediate eligibility waiver to play for Buckeyes". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  20. ^ West, Jenna (December 7, 2019). "OSU beats Wisconsin to Win Big Ten Title". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  21. ^ "2019 Heisman Trophy Voting". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  22. ^ "Fiesta Bowl - Clemson vs Ohio State Box Score, December 28, 2019". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  23. ^ "Justin Fields 2019 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  24. ^ Sallee, Barrett (February 27, 2020). "2020 Heisman Trophy odds: Ohio State QB Justin Fields the favorite over Clemson's Trevor Lawrence". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  25. ^ Dodd, Dennis (September 18, 2020). "Justin Fields believes he helped change the Big Ten's mind; now he can change the outcome of the season". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  26. ^ Delenger, Ross (January 2, 2021). "Justin Fields Turns in Remarkable Effort as Ohio State Unleashes Its Wrath on Clemson". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  27. ^ "Justin Fields 2020 Game Log". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  28. ^ Cooper, Sam (January 18, 2021). "Ohio State QB Justin Fields declares for NFL draft, WR Chris Olave to return". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  29. ^ "Justin Fields College Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  30. ^ "Justin Fields, Ohio State, QB, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  31. ^ "Justin Fields, Combine Results, QB - Ohio State". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  32. ^ Middlehurst-Schwartz, Michael (April 29, 2021). "Chicago Bears trade up, take QB Justin Fields with No. 11 pick in NFL draft". USA Today. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  33. ^ Allardyce, Michael (June 10, 2021). "Bears, Justin Fields Agree to Terms on Four-Year Rookie Contract". NBC Chicago. NBC. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  34. ^ Sutelan, Edward (September 12, 2021). "Bears' Justin Fields scores first NFL touchdown during limited action against Rams". www.sportingnews.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  35. ^ Dickerson, Jeff (September 19, 2021). "Chicago Bears rookie QB Justin Fields replaces injured Andy Dalton vs. Cincinnati Bengals". ESPN. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  36. ^ "Bears QB Justin Fields to start vs. Browns with Andy Dalton (knee) injured". NFL.com. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  37. ^ "Garrett, Browns rough up rookie Fields, slam Bears 26-6". CBSSports.com. September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  38. ^ Edholm, Eric (October 3, 2021). "Justin Fields looks like a brand-new QB in Bears' win over Lions". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  39. ^ Dickerson, Jeff (October 6, 2021). "Matt Nagy commits to Justin Fields as Chicago Bears' starting QB going forward". ESPN. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  40. ^ Dajani, Jordan (October 10, 2021). "Raiders vs. Bears score, takeaways: Justin Fields, Chicago outplay Vegas to earn second straight win". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  41. ^ Benjamin, Cody (October 24, 2021). "Buccaneers vs. Bears score: Justin Fields' five turnovers doom Chicago as Tampa Bay rolls to 6-1". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  42. ^ Smith, Michael David (October 31, 2021). "Justin Fields' brilliant TD run not enough for Bears, Jimmy G runs for two TDs as 49ers win". NBC Sports. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  43. ^ "Steelers spoil Justin Fields rally, top Bears with help of controversial taunting call". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  44. ^ Dickerson, Jeff (November 21, 2021). "Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields ruled out with injury to his ribs". ESPN. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  45. ^ "Bears quarterback Justin Fields suffered cracked ribs, still likely to return shortly". NFL.com. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  46. ^ DeArdo, Bryan (November 22, 2021). "With Justin Fields (ribs) hurt, Andy Dalton expected to start for Bears' Thanksgiving Day game, per report". CBS Sports. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  47. ^ Crabtree, Curtis (December 23, 2021). "Justin Fields limited with ankle injury for Bears". NBC Sports. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  48. ^ Pelissero, Tom; Rapoport, Ian (April 21, 2021). "Ohio State QB Justin Fields managing epilepsy as he heads into 2021 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  49. ^ Pickman, Ben (April 21, 2021). "Report: Justin Fields Informed Teams He's Managing Epilepsy". si.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  50. ^ Sentell, Jeff (June 6, 2017). "BREAKING: 5-star Georgia QB Justin Fields backs off his pledge to Penn State". dawgnation. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  51. ^ "Jaiden Fields - 2022 - Softball". University of Georgia Athletics. Retrieved September 15, 2021.

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