Lessons Learned for Justin Fields During Injury

The Bears QB doesn't want to be specific what he learned watching Tyson Bagent during his time away injured but he does know there is no quarterback controversy.

Justin Fields emerged no worse for the lack of wear over four weeks of sitting, standing and trying to keep himself occupied while his dislocated right thumb healed.

Once, during the 30-13 loss to the Chargers, Fields' attempts to understand what Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was calling for backup QB Tyson Bagent to run even led him down the wrong path. Fields, it seemed, was taking the mental reps concept a bit too far.

"I think the Sunday night game I was trying to just play the game in my head, I think I got a call down from upstairs that said the (TV) camera kept showing me calling the play calls," Fields said. "So I had to stop doing that."

No more reasons to worry about tipping off plays because Fields is back starting this week and believes he did derive positives from sitting out and watching Bagent.

One thing he does know is there is no quarterback controversy, even if he thinks the media wants to stir one up. Fields remains starter and this was the case throughout the injury, as Matt Eberflus constantly said.

"Of course, but that's the world we live in nowadays," he said. "Everybody wants to cause a stir, cause media attention, boom, boom, boom, comments, stories. So that's just what comes with it. I knew that was going to happen from the get-go. So it came to me as no surprise.

"But I mean, like I said, I was coming in the building every day being the same guy I was before I was hurt. Just trying to be the best leader I can be."

Fields admitted to learning something from Bagent, although he didn't want to get specific about the parts of the backup QB's game that he is borrowing from when he faces the Lions Sunday in Ford Field

“Yeah, I mean, I think really just looking at all quarterbacks, I feel like, of course, Tyson, quarterbacks around the league, quarterbacks in college, like we all play the game differently," Fields said. "So things that Tyson did well, I’m definitely going to try to emulate that of course in(to) my game.

"But at the end of the day, we're different quarterbacks. We don't do the same things. So, but, of course, there's bits and pieces that we do differently that he did well on the field and of course I'm going to try to add that my game for sure."

Fields could stand to get the ball out faster because he is 32nd in sack percentage while Bagent is No. 1 playing behind most of the same offensive line, although that group seems to alternate every week.

He sought to gain some perspective with his mental reps during the Chargers game and by finding out why Getsy calls the plays he does, but instead was told he was tipping off plays on TV.

"I don't want to mess with Luke too much during the game, of course," Fields said. "He's locked in, too. Definitely just seeing why he's calling certain plays. There were a few times where I wanted to ask him what were you thinking on this play? What was your mindset? What was your goal to call on this play?

"But like I said, I didn't want to mess with his mojo because he's locked in game day. I think I tried to talk to him one time and, I mean, he's so locked in he didn't even hear me. But yeah, definitely, like I said earlier, seeing the game from a different perspective and kind of just the bigger picture."

It was the longest period Fields sat out since breaking two fingers in high school. Now he's back and not using a glove to throw like he had done initially but is taping up his thumb for support.

"It feels pretty good," he said. "Just getting back into things. Feels good to throw. Arm feels fresh.

"But yeah, feel good. Taped it up today at practice. We'll see how it is feeling on Sunday and whether I need tape or not. I tried the glove at first, just because I didn't have to grip the ball as much with the glove. So, but, I didn’t really feel too comfortable with the glove on."

Whatever works is fine with the Bears. 

For Fields, it's simple.

"Just go out there and win games," he said. "I'm not here to prove anything to anybody. I'm playing for my teammates, I'm playing for the coaches, and that's it.

"Everything else will take care of itself."

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven