Rookie backup Tyson Bagent will get the nod under center in Week 7, making him just the fourth Division II QB to start an NFL game in the past 20 years.
The Chicago Bears have ruled starting quarterback Justin Fields out for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders because of the dislocated thumb on his right hand.
Rookie backup quarterback Tyson Bagent will get the nod under center in Week 7, making him just the fourth Division II QB to start an NFL game in the past 20 years. Bagent joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent in May. The 23-year-old then beat out P.J. Walker for a roster spot in the preseason and has solidified himself as Chicago’s No. 2 quarterback.
Bagent made his NFL debut last week after Fields left with his injury.
“I think coming from where I come from, I’ve pretty much beat every odd that there was for me,” Bagent said this week. “So I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m going to go out there and fight with these guys to the death and try to stack up as many wins as I can until we get Justin back.”
Head coach Matt Eberflus said Friday that the team doesn’t think Fields will need to go on injured reserve, though he is considered week-to-week. So Bears fans might need to acclimate themselves with the sight of Bagent under center.
The Bears (1-6) host the Raiders (3-3) at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. Here are five things to know about the rookie before kickoff.
Bagent won two state championships and passed for 7,800 yards and 112 touchdowns over his career at Martinsburg High School in West Virginia. But that production didn’t lead to much interest from colleges, at least at the Division I level.
Albany and Robert Morris were the only D-1 schools to offer Bagent a shot, according to ESPN. The 6-foot-3 QB went in a different direction.
Bagent decided to play college football in his home state at Shepherd University, a Division II school that both of his parents previously attended.
