JUSTIN FIELDS

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields nearly had his moment in the spotlight on “Monday Night Football,” as he almost led his team to a comeback victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chris Boswell's 40-yard field goal with 26 seconds left lifted the Pittsburgh Steelers past the Chicago Bears 29-27.

After resisting the move in the past Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy has made Justin Fields his first-string quarterback going forward and has moved Andy Dalton into the backup role.

A historically bad effort by the Chicago offense has coach Matt Nagy rethinking his approach after only the third week of the season. It could all lead to a change in who calls the plays or even who the quarterback is as the Bears prepare to face the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field. “Again, just to keep it super simple, everything’s on the table,” Nagy said.

Myles Garrett recorded a franchise record 4 1/2 sacks on Justin Fields and Cleveland brought down Chicago’s rookie quarterback nine times while harassing him throughout his first NFL start as the Browns thumped the Bears 26-6.

Matt Ryan has watched Joe Montana, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady switch teams, so he knows there’s a possibility he won’t finish his career with the Atlanta Falcons.

Justin Fields is set to make his first start for the Chicago Bears.

Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater has capped a wild first half against Minnesota with a franchise-record 62-yard field goal on the final play.

Matthew Stafford passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns in a dynamic debut for the Los Angeles Rams.

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New quarterbacks are leading last year's College Football Playoff teams.

Good morning, Chicago. Here are some of the top stories you need to know to start your day.

What does your dream college football road trip look like.

The Denver Broncos are going with Teddy Bridgewater over Drew Lock as their starting quarterback.

Justin Fields outshined his fellow first-round quarterbacks in their preseason openers.

The Chicago Bears are now without both of their top two draft picks. Coach Matt Nagy on Wednesday said quarterback Justin Fields was out of practice due to a groin injury, while second-round pick, offensive lineman Teven Jenkins, was facing back surgery. The injury to Fields is considered minor but Jenkins has been out all of training camp after suffering back injury symptoms during the four days rookies were allowed to practice just before the start of regular training camp.

Rookie quarterback Justin Fields came off the bench in the second quarter and rallied the Chicago Bears from a 13-0 deficit to a 20-13 win over the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field to start each team's preseason.

The Chicago Bears have signed first-round draft pick Justin Fields to a four-year contract.

The Chicago area celebrates Memorial Day on May 31, 2021.

History dictates that it’s likely at least a couple of the five first-round quarterbacks won’t fulfill the hopes of the teams that drafted them.

Not much changed on the second night of the NFL draft.

Steelers and Patriots picks were among several surprising selections during Thursday's first round of the NFL draft in Cleveland.

Steelers and Patriots picks were among several surprising selections during Thursday's first round of the NFL draft in Cleveland.

Bears moved up to take Justin Fields at No. 11 in the NFL draft, trying to make up for lost ground at QB since passing on Patrick Mahomes in 2017.

The Chicago Bears confidently announced that Andy Dalton was their starter last month when they signed him to a one-year contract but did they speak too soon?

Nine of the 14 Big Ten football teams appear set at quarterback heading into the fall.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day says the quarterback competition featuring three candidates will carry over into fall camp.

Major college football and basketball players will be permitted to transfer one time before graduating without being required to sit out a year of competition starting next season.

(AP Photo/Brett Carlsen, File)NEW YORK – Intrigue and uncertainty have surrounded the New York Jets' quarterback situation all offseason. “I’m coming in with my understanding that Sam is the guy,” Davis said during a video conference call. 3 overall pick in 2018, has struggled with inconsistency and injuries during his three seasons with the Jets. “He's the right guy to come in here and turn things around,” Davis said. ... New York signed LB Del'Shawn Phillips, who played in two games last season for Buffalo.

The last NFL event not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic was the 2020 combine in Indianapolis. A year later, with the 2021 combine canceled, the league has released a list of players who would have merited invitations. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)The last NFL event not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic was the 2020 combine in Indianapolis. A year later, with the 2021 combine canceled, the league has released a list of players who would have merited invitations. Cornerbacks got the most invitations with 44, including all-Americans Shaun Wade of Ohio State, and Patrick Surtain of national champion Alabama.

The next game he plays is for his NFL draft stock, provided the Alabama quarterback's gimpy left ankle is good to go. Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said the plan is for Jones to dress out and see how his ankle feels. “Just being in that room, I already learned so much about NFL football,” he said. Mond started 44 games for the Aggies, Ehlinger logged 43 starts for the Longhorns,Mond led the Aggies into College Football Playoffs contention in his final season. I just wanted to come and kind of learn more about NFL football and learn a new playbook, which I thought I did a good job with.

Those 128 players, plus three more who inquired about their draft status but didn't need special eligibility, were on the NFL's official list released Friday as available to be drafted after giving up their remaining college eligibility. The 30 players with college eligibility remaining after completing their degree requirements had to notify the NFL of their intentions for the draft. As for those 98 players granted special eligibility without yet finishing their degrees, that was one fewer than last year and the lowest total since 95 in 2017. Players less than four years removed from high school who have not completed a degree need to be granted special entry to the draft by the NFL. Southern California has the most players leaving early for NFL draft eligibility with six.

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Urban Meyer first started thinking about the NFL about a decade ago. “I won’t do that.”Here’s a rundown of Meyer’s first news conference with Jacksonville:— Meyer plans to monitor his health, which was instrumental in him walking away from Florida and Ohio State. It’s something I’m going to watch very closely. We did that at Ohio State. Ohio State is home to those guys now.”___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

1 Alabama won the College Football Playoff national championship game, 52-24, against No. 7 overall, breaking a tie with Alabama great Paul "Bear" Bryant for the most by a major college coach. Using an array of motions and misdirections, outgoing offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian had Ohio State heads spinning trying to track down Smith. Alabama hardly missed him and cracked 50 early in the fourth quarter when Harris went in untouched from a yard out. Smith and Harris surprised some by returning to college after last season for their senior years.

1 Alabama won the College Football Playoff national championship game 52-24 against No. 7 overall, breaking a tie with Alabama great Paul “Bear” Bryant for the most by a major college coach. “To me this is the ultimate team,” Saban said. “To me this team accomplished more than almost any team," Saban said. “Heaven's knows what he would have done if he played the whole game,” Saban said.

Now the question is will he be able to play in the title game Monday night against Ohio State? “I think you absolutely have to prepare as if he's going to play,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs said. Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson posted photos on Twitter showing her visiting with coach Ryan Day and the team in the school's indoor practice facility. WEST COAST EXPORTSThe West Coast will be well represented in the national championship game among the players, if not the football programs themselves. Alabama All-America tailback Najee Harris, Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave and Buckeyes All-America guard Wyatt Davis are all from California.

Ohio State won 49-28. AL.com reported that Ohio State has been in contact with CFP officials about possible player availability problems that could force the game to be delayed. For Ohio State, though, it has been an especially bumpy road. The Big Ten initially canceled the fall football season in August, only to reverse course in September. Ohio State played its final regular-season game and the Big Ten championship game missing more than 20 players for each.

Ohio State won 49-28. “This team, this program, we persevered through so much,” Ohio State running back Trey Sermon said Monday. In addition to Sarkisian's imminent departure, Alabama has to take care of some Heisman Trophy business while preparing for the matchup with Ohio State. Ohio State (7-0) won that meeting en route to the national title. OHIO STATEOverview: Like many teams, Ohio State faced major obstacles during the pandemic.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day hugs quarterback Justin Fields after their win against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in New Orleans. Ohio State won 49-28. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he expects Justin Fields to play in the College Football Playoff national championship game against Alabama after the quarterback was banged up during the semifinals. Buckeyes running back Trey Sermon took Fields' place on the call. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Ohio State is back for the first time since winning the inaugural title in the CFP era. After the SEC champion Crimson Tide rolled past Notre Dame 31-14 in a Rose Bowl played deep in the heart of Texas, the No. 3 Buckeyes of the Big Ten beat Clemson 49-28 in the other CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl on Friday night. The Tigers were trying, like Alabama, to get to the title game for the fifth time in the seven seasons of the four-team playoff. Alabama was the top seed in the first four-team playoff, but Ohio State beat the Tide 42-35 in the semifinal Sugar Bowl.

And with that, Lawrence’s bid to finish an extraordinary college football career with his second national championship in three seasons slipped away. 2 Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl on Friday night. “Obviously they kicked our butt tonight," Lawrence said. Lawrence is one of four finalists, along with Alabama QB Mac Jones, Crimson Tide receiver Davonta Smith and Florida QB Kyle Trask. Still, he'll be remembered as one of the faces of college football — on the field and off — during a tumultuous junior year.

Ohio State won 49-28. 11, where Clemson coach Dabo Swinney placed Ohio State on his ballot in the final regular-season coaches' poll. Ohio State beat the Crimson Tide in the semifinals on the way to the 2014 national championship. “This performance by this team I hope will go down in Ohio State history as a landmark victory,” Day said. Ohio State did not give details about their absences, but all four had played in the Big Ten championship two weeks ago.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields runs past Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis during the first half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)NEW ORLEANS – Clemson starting middle linebacker James Skalski has been ejected from the Sugar Bowl for a tackle that knocked Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields out of the game for one play. Officials concluded that Skalski committed targeting by leading with the crown of his helmet when he hit Fields in the ribs. After that touchdown, Fields was 12 of 13 for 173 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He entered the Sugar Bowl with 39 tackles, including 3 1/2 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery in eight games.

3 Ohio State (6-0, No. ... Clemson beat Ohio State 29-23 in a Fiesta Bowl CFP semifinal last season. ... All of Clemson's victories over Ohio State have come in bowl games, including the Orange Bowl at the end of the 2013 season and the 1978 Peach Bowl. ... Clemson is making its third Sugar Bowl appearance and is seeking its first Sugar Bowl win. ... Ohio State is making its sixth Sugar Bowl appearance and has won its last three, including a 42-35 triumph over Alabama in the first CFP semifinal on Jan. 1, 2015.

(AP Photo/Brian Blanco, File)Alabama teammates Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith along with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Florida’s Kyle Trask have been named finalists for the Heisman Trophy. Jones and Smith are the eighth set of teammates to be finalists together since the tradition started in 1982. The Crimson Tide is the second team to have three players in the top five in Heisman voting. In 1946, Army running back Glenn Davis won the Heisman, fellow running back Doc Blanchard finished fourth and quarterback Arnold Tucker was fifth. Iowa State running back Breece Hall was sixth this year, followed by Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.

Fields led Ohio State to a 6-0 record and the No. 7 Indiana (6-1) to its highest ranking since 1967, knocking off three ranked teams along the way. Its only loss was 42-35 at Ohio State in a game that went down to the final play. u-QB — Justin Fields, Ohio State, 6-3, 228, Jr., Kennesaw, Georgia. C — Josh Myers, Ohio State, 6-5, 312, Jr., Miamisburg, Ohio.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)COLUMBUS, Ohio – Shortened schedule and all, Ohio State is headed back to the College Football Playoff and a familiar foe will be waiting. Barta, the Iowa athletic director, said “there was no dissension in the room” over putting Ohio State in. Clemson coach Dabo Sweeney said he wasn't surprised Ohio State got in with fewer games “because that’s what the committee has demonstrated over the past few weeks. We all know Ohio State is an incredibly talented team.”The loss to Clemson in the playoff last year landed hard and lingered for the Buckeyes, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said on ESPN. It'll be different this time with less than two weeks between the conference championship game and the semifinal.

He'd heard coach Ryan Day preach about everything the Buckeyes overcame to reach this season's Big Ten championship game. 3 Ohio State rally past No. Ohio State: Whatever happens in the polls this week, the Buckeyes really only care about one thing — making the playoff. COMMITTEE QUESTIONSThe CFP selection committee might want some answers from Ohio State before releasing the brackets Sunday. Ohio State: Must wait to see if it will be included in the national championship shootout.

3 Ohio State banked some style points during its rout of Michigan State, but the next step toward any kind of championship for the Buckeyes this season could be out of their control. Ohio State has had its own problems with the coronavirus. Among those taken out of action was coach Ryan Day, who had to stay home and watch the Michigan State game on TV. So would another loss to the Buckeyes, who have won the rivalry game in each of Harbaugh's first five years at Michigan. Day said he was proud of how the Buckeyes moved past the rough, uncertain week to dominate Michigan State.

3 Ohio State to a 52-12 win over Michigan State on Saturday. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson coached Ohio State in Day's absence. Michigan State (2-4, 2-4) was coming off a win over another undefeated team — Northwestern — but the Spartans were overmatched Saturday. They punted on fourth-and-1 in the first quarter — and again on fourth down in Ohio State territory early in the third. Michigan State wraps up the regular season at Penn State.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass against Indiana during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. 3 Ohio State is playing as much as who will be play playing for the Buckeyes this weekend. Ohio State seems to be on track to play at Michigan State on Saturday after a spike in COVID-19 cases in the program forced a cancellation of last week's road trip to Illinois. If Ohio State has one more game canceled it would be unable to meet the Big Ten's minimum game played to be eligible for the conference title game. UNDER THE RADARNebraska at PurdueNeither team is in the Big West race, but the interesting thing is the Boilermakers (2-3) have won two straight against the Cornhuskers (1-4).

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass against Rutgers during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. Fields threw two touchdown passes to Chris Olave, with Jameson Williams, Garrett Wilson and Jeremy Ruckert also recipients of scoring passes. Wilson caught six passes for 104 yards for Ohio State, and Fields completed passes to nine receivers. They battled Ohio State but couldn't climb out of the hole they dug early. Ohio State: The Buckeyes were sloppy and got stuck in the mud at times, but Fields can make things happen.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)The final major college football conference to begin its season gets going Saturday. The Pac-12 kicks off at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) with Arizona State at No. Instead of Pac-12 after dark it’s Pac-12 for lunch. The Hawkeyes will try to avoid that in this unique conference-only season at home against Michigan State. Arkansas State also had a marquee upset early in the season, beating Kansas State.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields (1) looks for a receiver during the first quarter against Penn State in an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. The Ohio State quarterback is just fine shredding defenses in front of a more intimate gathering. Ohio State (2-0) didn’t take long to break the game open and hand Penn State (0-2) its first 0-2 start since 2013. Penn State got on the board when Jake Pinegar capped an 11-play, 61-yard drive with a 31-yard field goal. The Nittany Lions got a break when Ohio State turned the ball over on downs with a second left before halftime.

18 Penn State was upset by Indiana so instead of returning to Happy Valley to host No. 3 Ohio State with an unbeaten record, the Nittany Lions are trying to avoid going 0-2 for the first time since 2013. No Big Ten team has tested Ohio State in recent years like Penn State, though the Nittany Lions haven't actually beaten the Buckeyes since 2016. 3 Ohio State at No. Can they disturb Justin Fields, who was near perfect last week for Ohio State?

What happens if an outbreak hits a team’s quarterback room? “Obviously this year there’s some things that will be unique,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said Monday without specifically discussing his players’ test results. “I think there certainly were those questions after the decision was made,” Ohio State team physician Jim Borchers said last week. And that’s all we really paid attention to.”Big Ten protocols say that athletes who test positive through point-of-contact daily testing must take a polymerase chain reaction test to confirm the first result. While Wisconsin awaits answers, Big Ten teams continue reminding quarterbacks about the potential risks inherent in this unusual season.

5 Ohio State shook off the rust in the first half and then buried Nebraska the rest of the way. Then came Fields' nifty touchdown run and a 55-yard scoop and score by Buckeyes cornerback Sevyn Banks, and Ohio State had it under control. “That's one heck of a run right there," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. It is believed to be the smallest crowd to watch an Ohio State game since sometime before 1910. Ohio State: Faces No.

Stetson Bennett threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his hold on the quarterback job as No. Postal Service cap in an effort to get noticed, Bennett was never viewed as a starting candidate for the Bulldogs. No matter the time of year, Georgia kept the upper hand with a fourth straight victory over Auburn. Georgia star Richard LeCounte got the boot in the second period for a helmet-to-helmet collision with Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25