Is Justin Fields playing tonight? Update on Bears QB for Week 8 SNF vs. Chargers

Chicago Bears franchise QB Justin Fields has been battling with a thumb injury for quite some time. The third-year Pro is one of the most promising shot callers in the league and was tipped to break out in 2023, but an injury has derailed his season.

Justin Fields' injury update

Justin Fields will not be playing tonight against the Los Angeles Chargers. On Friday, the Chicago Bears officially ruled him out of the game due to a dislocated thumb.

Fields has been sidelined since exiting an October 15, 2023 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings and his return is still uncertain.

What happened to Justin Fields?

In the Chicago Bears Week 6 loss to the Vikings, Fields was sacked in the third quarter of the game. Fields landed awkwardly and it was then that he sustained the injury.

It is important to note that Fields has had his fair share of injuries since entering the NFL, and this is partly due to the performance of his offensive line.

Following the sack, Fields missed his side's Week 7 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. In his place, undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent started, and the Shepard University alum had a solid NFL debut, leading the Bears to a 30-12 win.

Bagent padded the stat sheet, finishing the game with 21 completed passes, 162 yards with one touchdown, no turnovers, and a 97.2 passer rating. Bagent will start tonight, as he gets the chance to maintain his winning record as an NFL starter against a highly favored Los Angeles Chargers side.

When will Justin Fields return?

According to Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, Justin Fields is making decent progress in his recovery from injury. The Ohio State Buckeyes alum is a tough competitor, and he's doing all he can to take to the Gridiron; tonight's game came just too soon for him to appear.

Eberflus told reporters that regarding Fields' recovery timeline:

"We're happy with where he is. He is working with the trainers still this week, and we'll give a better update on Monday."

Fields may be available for his team's Week 9 game versus the New Orleans Saints. Luckily for the Bears, they have a competent backup in Tyson Bagent, so there's no need to rush Fields back from injury. The better his recovery, the lesser the chance of him reinjuring the thumb once he steps on the pitch.