Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is one of the most athletically and physically gifted players at the position in the NFL. He can do things with his arm and legs that others can’t, but that ends up being a double-edged sword.
Because Fields is so big and strong, how referees call penalties at times differently than some of his peers. Just because he is capable of running over a defender from time to time doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be afforded the same protection when it comes to defenders hitting him.
There are highlight reels of Fields absorbing hits that are much worse than other plays that have drawn penalty flags. Yet, time and time again, play continues and no infraction is called against the defense.
NFL News & Rumors: Justin Fields & Chicago Bears Updates
Against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, yet another example occurred. While scrambling, Fields went into his slide but was still hit hard by Packers’ safety Jonathan Owens. Upon replay, you could see Fields head hit and bounce off the turf on what color commentator Tony Romo, a former NFL quarterback himself, thought would be a clear personal foul.
No flag was thrown, as the Bears drive continued on as if nothing happened. However, two plays later, the independent neurologist on the sideline intervened and stopped play so that Fields would be evaluated for a concussion.
It was a bizarre chain of events. Fields being able to stay on the field for two more plays before being looked at should not have occurred given the hit that he absorbed. But, no flag being thrown on the play, despite some of the plays that have drawn penalties this season, was also egregious. After the game, the Bears quarterback did not hold back on the league’s referees.
“I just don’t understand,” Fields told reporters in Sunday’s postgame when asked about the no-call late hit. “I don’t even know how to answer it because I don’t want to get fined in any kind of way. But I mean, like I said, the fact that I had to come out two plays later for a potential head injury on a play I slid on should speak for itself.”
The NFL has done everything it can to protect its players, especially quarterbacks. Yet, too often we are seeing plays go without flags that warrant them. Fields slid on the play his head hit the ground, which should be an automatic flag as he isn’t sliding and hitting his head without a defender laying into him.
NFL News & Rumors: Justin Fields & Chicago Bears Updates
“Fields did concede that his head “hurt for a few seconds” after the big hit from Owens, but he also added that he could tell he “didn’t have a concussion or anything” quickly.
“They just asked me do I know where I am,” Fields said. “I just did a few balance tests and stuff like that and, of course, I was trying to speed up the process a little bit. But after they clear me and say that I’m good, I just ran back out onto the field.” (H/T Heavy)
Referees are going to miss some calls; they are human after all. But plays like the one with Fields need to be viewed and called correctly. He did everything in his power to protect himself and avoid a big hit by sliding, yet he still got hit hard enough that he needed to be evaluated for a concussion and no flag was thrown.
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