Justin Fields' Injury History: Complete Timeline & Recoveries

It's hard to be a quarterback in the NFL without dealing with bumps and bruises on a weekly basis -- especially for a quarterback like Justin Fields. The Pittsburgh Steelers QB and former Chicago Bears' signal caller made a habit of taking off with the football early in his career.

Fields' impressive rushing ability is an asset, but his physical play style, toughness to finish runs, and willingness to hang onto the football and extend the play have resulted in numerous injuries over the years.

Dating back to his college days as a quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Fields' body has taken a beating on the football field. Some of these injuries resulted in missing multiple games at a time.

In this article, we will take a deep dive into Justin Fields' injury history, recovery phases, and the long-term impact his injuries have had on his performance.

Early Career and Initial Injuries

Before entering the NFL as a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields dealt with ailments that either knocked him out of the game or kept him in street clothes, watching from the sidelines.

On back-to-back weeks in November 2019, Fields played through a Grade 2 MCL sprain. This injury first popped up on November 23 against Penn State and was aggravated the following week against Michigan on November 29. The second time he dealt with this MCL ailment, Fields was able to finish the game.

In December of 2020, Fields missed the Big Ten Championship due to a thumb sprain. He later sustained a rib sprain during the second quarter of Ohio State's Sugar Bowl matchup against Clemson.

As a rookie in the NFL in 2021, Fields was hampered by nagging injuries. He suffered a Grade 1 groin pull in August before the start of his rookie season before dealing with a rib fracture, which occurred on November 21.

On November 20, 2022, Fields suffered a shoulder injury before missing time with a hip strain and a thumb dislocation in 2023.

Major Injuries and Recovery Phases

Rib injury in 2021

During Week 11 of his rookie season with the Bears, Fields sustained a rib fracture in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. This injury forced him out of action early and caused him to miss the next two games before returning to the field to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 14.

Ankle injury in 2021

Late in the 2021 season, Fields missed the final three games of the year with an ankle injury. The Bears elected to shut him down for the season instead of risking further injury, as the playoffs were already out of reach. Fields had more than enough time to recover during the long offseason in 2022.

Shoulder injury in 2022

In Week 11 of the 2022 season, Fields suffered an AC joint separation against the Atlanta Falcons. He would miss the following game against the Jets before returning to the field against the Packers in Week 13.

Hip injury in 2023

During the final week of the 2022 season, Fields sustained a hip injury on New Year's Day 2023. The MRI revealed a strain that would force him out of action for the final week of the season. Fields would have the 2023 offseason to recover from the ailment.

Thumb injury in 2023

In Week 6 of the 2023 season, Fields suffered a thumb dislocation halfway through the Bears' contest against the Minnesota Vikings. The quarterback would miss the next four games as he recovered from the injury before returning to the field in Week 11 to face the Detroit Lions.

Recurring Issues and Long-Term Impact

Justin Fields' thumb sprain that popped up in December 2020 while at Ohio State wound up evolving into a dislocation of his right thumb during his third year in the NFL in 2023. However, it's hard to say if these injuries are related.

Fields also had recurring rib issues early in his from college to the NFL. He first suffered a rib sprain on New Year's Day 2021. The following season, his first in the NFL, Fields suffered fractured ribs and was forced out of action for two weeks.