LAS VEGAS — Chicago Bears rookie Justin Fields played most of Sunday’s 20-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders with a hyperextended left knee, the quarterback told reporters after the game.
Andy Dalton relieved Fields for two plays in the second quarter after Raiders defensive end Yannick Ngakoue sacked the first-round pick from behind, which caused Fields’ left leg to bend awkwardly.
“I knew I hyperextended it,” Fields said. “I was just trying to see if I could get up and I was just able to walk off the field and then after a while I could start feeling my strength getting back, so I was just trying to see how stable it was and seeing if I could run on it.”
The Bears quickly determined that Fields was healthy enough to re-enter the game.
Fields managed the offense effectively for Chicago. The 11th-overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft completed 12 or 20 passes for 111 yards, and tossed his first NFL regular-season touchdown pass to tight end Jesper Horsted.
Head coach Matt Nagy did not seem overly concerned about Fields’ knee injury moving forward.
“His toughness was great, it was awesome,” Nagy said. “So that’s all. That’s the No. 1 thing I’m taking out of this, is his toughness.”