Getty Former WR Dez Bryant took to Twitter to praise -- and defend -- bears rookie QB Justin Fields.
You can add former NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant to the growing list of Justin Fields fans. The rookie quarterback for the Chicago Bears entered the team’s Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second quarter when veteran Andy Dalton went down with a knee injury, and if Dalton remains sidelined, Fields will be seeing even more playing time.
Fields finished the game in relief of Dalton, and while he didn’t have the best stat line (he completed 46.2% of his passes for 60 yards and an interception), the numbers don’t tell the whole story. The rookie QB made some poor decisions, but he also made a few key plays with his legs, and he saw his top two receivers, Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney, drop perfectly-placed passes.
Justin Fields’ final statline (6/13, 60 yards, 1 INT) doesn’t look pretty but he threw a dime to Allen Robinson that should have been caught for a touchdown.
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After the game was over, the former Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver took to Twitter to give Fields a shout-out before laying the smackdown on a few folks who had some disparaging things to say about the young QB.
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Dez Bryant to Justin Fields: ‘It’s Your Time, Boss’
First, Bryant commented on Fields’ Instagram post on September 17, and he made a bold prediction, saying Fields was going to be Rookie of the Year:
After Fields came in to relieve an injured Dalton, the former wide receiver congratulated the Bears’ rookie on his first career win in the NFL:
Congratulations to Justin fields on his first win!! It’s your time boss let’s go!
Bryant spent eight years with the Cowboys, making three Pro Bowls and earning All-Pro honors in 2014. Injuries kept him out of the league during the 2018-19 seasons, but he landed in Baltimore with the Ravens in 2020, playing in six games. The former wideout is no longer in the league, but he knows a thing or two about what it takes to make it in the NFL, and he didn’t hesitate to remind some know-it-all fans of that fact.
When a fan who was left unimpressed by Fields asked Bryant if he had been watching the game, Bryant reminded him that the rookie signal-caller saw his receivers make a few huge drops, including one that would have been a TD to Allen Robinson.
Bryant also reminded those critical of Fields that as a former wide receiver, he knows what capable QB play looks like.
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Fields May Be Getting the Keys Sooner Than Expected
While Bears head coach Matt Nagy has said from the beginning that the plan is to start Dalton and sit Fields — which he reiterated again September 20 after Dalton’s injury — it’s likely we’ll see Fields as the Bears’ starter well into October. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Dalton’s MRI revealed a bone bruise, which means barring a miracle, Fields will start Week 3 — and likely longer.
Sports medical analyst Dr. David J. Chao, an orthopedic surgeon and expert on football injuries, said Dalton’s injury should keep the Red Rifle sidelined for several weeks.
For those asking on #AndyDalton, always check t.co/dFDT8os6QG for full thoughts. See why it is #JustinFields time for @ChicagoBears.
Thus, it very much appears to be time for the Justin Fields Show in the Windy City, and you can count myriad Bears fans — and Dez Bryant — among those who are ready to watch.
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