Getty Buffalo Bills linebacker Andre Smith hits Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields in a preseason game.
Buffalo Bills linebacker Andre Smith wants Chicago Bears fans to know that he meant no harm with his massive hit on rookie Justin Fields in a preseason game on Saturday — though he did seem to enjoy the attention.
Smith came in unblocked on a play to start the fourth quarter, hitting Fields so hard that the rookie quarterback’s helmet and armband were thrown off and he fumbled the ball. Fields was not hurt on the play and Smith was called for a roughing the passer penalty for coming in too high, and the Bills linebacker afterward offered something of a tongue-in-cheek apology to Bears fans mixed with a heavy dose of trolling.
Andre Smith just destroyed Justin Fields. Wow. (Fields got up after and is fine.)
The latest Bills news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bills newsletter here!
Smith Doesn’t Want Trouble
After the Bills completed a 41-15 dismantling of the Bears on Saturday, Smith took to Twitter to speak out about the play. He apologized to Bears fans and said he didn’t want any trouble, though did seem to enjoy some of the reactions to his hit, including an Old-West-style wanted poster with his picture on it.
I’m sorry Bears fans 😭 ion want no smoke 🧡
Now this is funny 😂
Smith later emphasized that he believe it was a clean hit, though some vocal Bears fans seemed to disagree.
Fields spoke out about the play after the game, saying he felt fine. The rookie quarterback finished the day 9-for-19 for 80 yards, taking two sacks after entering the game in relief of starter Andy Dalton.
“It didn’t really hurt, to be honest with you,” Fields told reporters after the game, via NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk. “I think the one thing that hurt was my helmet coming off and hitting me in the eye. But the actual hit, it wasn’t that crazy.”
The hit also drew attention to a comment Fields made after the team’s first preseason contest that the NFL game was slower than he expected. The big hit from Smith drew some new criticism to the apparant boast, but Fields stressed that he was trying to give a compliment to the Bears defense he has been facing in training camp, not bragging about his own abilities.
“That came out totally wrong,” Fields said, via Pro Football Talk. “Apparently the narrative was that I’m just that good, that the game was too slow. What I meant to say was that I go up against our first-team defense a lot throughout the week. So me going against them and playing these preseason games when starters aren’t in, that’s gonna slow the game down for me. Again, I just wanted to clear that up because I don’t want to come off as cocky or acting like I made it, because I know I have a lot of work to do.”
Smith Could Face Battle for Roster Spot
While the big hit drew him some attention, Smith could face a challenge in making the final roster for the Bills. As USA Today’s Bills Wire noted, he was listed as a third-string linebacker on the team’s initial depth chart, which was released before the first preseason game against the Detroit Lions. Nick Fierro of Sports Illustrated’s Bills Central predicted that Smith would ultimately make the final 53-man roster, thanks in large part to his special teams contributions.
Another preseason W! 🙌
“Beyond regulars [Tremaine] Edmunds and [Matt] Milano, special teams ability will figure prominently in the decisions on most of the others,” he wrote.
The third-year player appeared in 12 games for the Bills last season, totalling seven tackles including one tackle for a loss. He was a regular on special teams, forcing a fumble and making two tackles.
Smith had a strong overall performance on Saturday against the Bears. Though he was penalized for the hit on Fields, the linebacker led the team with five tackles and had a pass defended.
READ NEXT: Analyst Predicts Monstrous Year for Bills’ Josh Allen, Makes New Prediction