Bears place Justin Fields on COVID list, Andy Dalton likely to start season finale

The Chicago Bears have placed quarterback Justin Fields on the COVID list ahead of Week 18.

It seems as though Justin Fields’ rookie season out of Ohio State has come to an end, as the Chicago Bears have placed the quarterback on the COVID list ahead of their Week 18 road game vs. the Minnesota Vikings.

By going on the COVID list on Thursday, it is essentially a guarantee that Fields will not clear testing protocols in time to play the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. This would mean Andy Dalton would likely be getting the start under center for the Bears. The expectation is this will be the final game for head coach Matt Nagy.

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields placed on COVID list ahead of Week 18

The Bears organization has so many issues, but Fields is not one of them. Given that his first year in Chicago coincided with what will likely be Nagy’s final year running the team, there is still so much to be determined by Fields in his early Bears career.

However, Fields has struggled in a chaotic situation behind a young and patchwork offensive lie and injuries to Allen Robinson that has left second-year and former fifth-round pick Darnell Mooney as the only pass-catcher to show any ability.

Fields still offers a ton of promise, but NFL fans will not get to see what is next for him until next year with the next head coach expected to get him to reach his potential that made him a highly-coveted prospect out of Ohio State.

It is only fitting that an incredibly frustrating season for Fields and the Bears will end like this.