LAKE FOREST, Sick. — Justin Fields regained consciousness behind the ambulance with no recollection of what had occurred. All he remembered from that morning in ninth grade was feeling “a bit bit off” as he headed to Harrison Excessive College in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Sitting in well being class, Fields mentioned he zoned out a handful of occasions. He would later study he had a seizure and misplaced consciousness.
The 23-year-old Chicago Bears quarterback, who was 15 on the time, was identified with epilepsy, which is the fourth-most widespread neurological dysfunction on the earth, in response to the Epilepsy Basis.
“I used to be crying, as a result of I did not understand how that might have an effect on my soccer profession,” Fields lately advised ESPN.
Because it turned out, it hasn’t affected it in any respect. Fields, in simply his second season, is rising as one of the vital prolific dashing quarterbacks within the NFL and leads all QBs with 834 dashing yards this season, regardless of lacking Sunday’s recreation after struggling a separated left shoulder. After a tricky rookie season, Fields was starting to stay as much as his hype earlier than the shoulder damage, together with dashing for 178 yards — essentially the most by a QB in a regular-season recreation within the Tremendous Bowl period — in opposition to the Miami Dolphins in Week 9. He is thought of day-to-day main as much as Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Green Bay Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox) in Chicago.
The Bears traded up 9 spots to pick out Fields No. 11 general within the 2021 draft, and former Bears GM Ryan Tempo, who was fired after a 6-11 end final season, mentioned Chicago was comfy drafting Fields due to how he dealt with his situation.
As November, which is Nationwide Epilepsy Consciousness Month, involves an finish, Fields opened up about his journey, from that day within the ninth grade, to understanding the warning indicators to the preventative measures he takes on daily basis to the potential of outgrowing the situation. There was a time he mentioned he wasn’t comfy speaking about epilepsy, however now he desires to assist elevate consciousness and be a job mannequin for others.
“I THINK THEY tried to get all the youngsters out of the category after I was having it,” Fields mentioned of his first seizure. “They mentioned I used to be foaming on the mouth and stuff like that.”
After a spherical of testing, together with a CT scan and electroencephalogram, the place electrodes had been positioned onto Fields’ scalp to report {the electrical} exercise of his mind, docs decided he had epilepsy.
They drew a hereditary connection upon studying Fields’ mom, Gina Tobey, additionally had epilepsy. Tobey was identified within the seventh grade, and he or she mentioned she outgrew the situation across the age of 19.
“Completely you’ll be able to outgrow it,” mentioned Jacqueline French, the chief medical officer of the Epilepsy Basis and professor of neurology at NYU Grossman College of Medication. “There are some sorts of epilepsy that you simply outgrow, and there are others that you do not.”
Tobey mentioned docs consider puberty triggered the onset of her epilepsy, and he or she believes which may have been the identical scenario for Fields. French mentioned puberty can set off epilepsy as a result of influence hormones can have on an individual’s seizure threshold.
Tobey shared her journey with Fields and identified warning indicators of an oncoming seizure. An important recommendation she gave him was to stay diligent about taking his treatment. Fields takes 4 capsules each morning to forestall seizures.
He mentioned the seizures have occurred a couple of 12 months and a half aside, and he estimates his final one was a few years in the past, earlier than the draft.
“Once I did have them, it was simply because I did not take my medication,” Fields mentioned. “There was one time I had one, I needed to see if I grew out of it, as a result of my mother grew out of it. So let me see if I did, too. However I do not even play with it now.”
Tobey noticed a distinction in her son’s expertise.
“What I observed that was totally different from me was his restoration time,” she mentioned. “When you have got a seizure, it is like shaking one thing in a cup. Your mind is like bouncing throughout in your head.
“On the finish of the episode, you have got these monster migraines, and for me, it could take me one or two days to get well. For him, it takes him two to 3 hours, he can sleep it off.”
FIELDS IS WELL-VERSED in the best way to deal with the onset of a potential seizure.
“I do know when I’ve one coming, I simply overlook what I am doing, zone out after which growth, 30 seconds later be locked in, after which I will do it two or thrice,” he mentioned. “So as soon as I do it two or thrice, then I do know one thing’s coming.”
He instantly lays down and tries to relaxation when he thinks a seizure is coming.
“The final one I had I felt it straight away, so I went to put down and I nonetheless had it,” he mentioned. “I went to sleep. I assume I had it in my sleep, then I awoke and my head was hurting.
“So after I get up and my head’s hurting, I do know I had a seizure. My physique’s sore. When you have got a seizure, often all of your muscle mass flex up … you’ve got been flexing your muscle mass for 45 seconds or a minute. So I do know after I’m about to have one now, I often simply attempt to lay down and fall asleep.”
Fields can sympathize with how his dad and mom felt, together with his father Pablo, who was a useful resource officer at Harrison Excessive College and is a retired Atlanta police officer.
“I feel any time if you see your child on the ground having a seizure, you’ll be able to’t do something about it. You simply received to attend till he wakes up,” Fields mentioned. “It is in all probability actually scary for them. I do know my dad; he hates seeing them.
“He has all the time been so adamant on me taking my medication and ensuring I am not staying up too late and getting sufficient sleep. He all the time used to inform me that he loves after I’m sleeping. Each time I am sleeping, he will not inform me to do something due to course he is aware of sleep will assist with that.”
It is potential Fields outgrows his seizures, however in the interim, Tobey is not taking any possibilities.
“He is 23, however I am nonetheless all the time going to say ‘Are you taking your medication?”’ she mentioned. “Simply because that is what moms do relating to every thing.”
FIELDS SAID HE by no means missed a recreation due to epilepsy — from highschool via faculty at Georgia and Ohio State and into the NFL.
“That is what my first concern was,” Fields mentioned. “Once I was first identified, I used to be like, ‘Dang, soccer is like — I am getting hit within the head on a regular basis. I do not even know if I will be capable to play for a very long time.’ However I do not suppose it was a giant dialog with the neurologist.”
French mentioned docs often advise warning relating to enjoying contact sports activities with epilepsy, however there are not any absolutes that rule out somebody’s capacity to play soccer. The important thing, French mentioned, is to ensure the situation is being correctly managed.
“If it is not managed, then there’s the likelihood that anyone might have an altered consciousness intermittently, and in the event you had been enjoying a sport the place that might put you at risk in and of itself, then that might be a problem that must be significantly mentioned,” French mentioned.
She added: “We do not wish to put individuals with epilepsy in a glass field. Each dialog that we’ve with them is: What’s the profit? What does this imply to you? And what’s the threat? However on the finish of the day, in the event you’re of age, you get to decide about what you do.”
Three workforce sources current in draft conferences, one from the NFC and two from the AFC, advised ESPN that Fields’ epilepsy arose in conversations as they evaluated him as a draft prospect, nevertheless it was not thought of a motive to not draft him due to how nicely he managed the situation.
“[Fields has] dealt with lots of these issues all through his life, and we’ve lots of ties into the Ohio State soccer program, and our docs and trainers do an amazing job,” Tempo mentioned on the evening he drafted Fields. “We had been very comfy with that and the way he handles that.”
Fields mentioned he would not bear in mind having particular conversations about his epilepsy throughout any of his pre-draft visits with groups. His agent, David Mulugheta of Athletes First, ready him for any potential questions.
“I imply, it is loopy, however on the finish of the day, it is a enterprise, so it’s what it’s,” Fields mentioned.
When Fields’ epilepsy grew to become public earlier than the draft, Ohio State coach Ryan Day took to Twitter to assist his quarterback, who was the primary one in OSU historical past to guide the Buckeyes to back-to-back playoffs. Fields completed third within the Heisman voting as a sophomore.
“Justin’s well being, toughness and work ethic have by no means been a problem, and I’m extremely happy with his professionalism and the character he shows on and off the sector,” Day tweeted. “The truth that he by no means missed a recreation at Ohio State speaks volumes about how he takes care of himself.”
Fields is not the primary individual with epilepsy to play within the NFL. Former Pittsburgh Steelers guard Alan Faneca mentioned his expertise with epilepsy throughout his Corridor of Fame induction speech in August 2021.
“If I did it, so can Justin Fields, and so can anybody else,” Faneca tweeted after information broke of Fields’ epilepsy. “It’s a part of us, however doesn’t outline us!”
French praised Fields for sharing his journey and utilizing his platform to assist elevate consciousness. Like Faneca, Fields is targeted on breaking stigmas and galvanizing others, particularly kids with epilepsy.
“It is simply that, bringing extra consciousness after which additionally giving these children hope,” Fields mentioned.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler contributed to this report.
