NBA superstar LeBron James was thoroughly impressed by rookie Justin Fields' stellar performance in his NFL preseason debut in the Chicago Bears' 20-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
The four-time NBA champion called Fields "special" on Twitter.
Justin Fields shines on debut
Incumbent starter Andy Dalton started the game for the Bears and played the opening quarter before being replaced by Fields for the second and third.
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The rookie quarterback had a rough start, going three-and-out in his opening three drives. He almost threw an interception during the third and then fumbled the ball only to recover it himself. On his fourth and final drive of the quarter, the rookie led the offense down the field to set up a field-goal attempt that helped the Bears get on the scoreboard.
Fields looked much more composed on the opening drive of the third quarter, making some assured throws before rushing for an eight-yard touchdown. The rookie quarterback was more comfortable as the game went on and started showcasing just why the Bears traded up during the 2021 NFL draft to acquire him.
On his penultimate drive, he marched down the field with the offense and threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to put the Bears in the lead. Fields exited the game after going three-and-out on the Bears' final drive of the third quarter.
Fields completed 14 of his 20 pass attempts for 142 yards and rushed for 33 yards in five attempts. He was responsible for both of the Bears' touchdowns in the game.
While head coach Matt Nagy has named Andy Dalton as the team's starter for the Bears' Week 1 match against the Los Angeles Rams, Fields' performance will ensure that he revisits that decision.
The Bears are scheduled to take on the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, August 21st, before wrapping up their preseason with a trip to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans on August 29th.
If Fields can perform as well and sound as confident as he did today, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take the Bears' opening snap against the Rams at SoFi Stadium on September 12th in their season opener.
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