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Nothing to See Here Braxton Jones Says About Possible Injury

Originally posted on FanNation Bear Digest
By Gene Chamberlain | Last updated 11/20/23

There was no eye poke or even a concussion.

Bears left tackle Braxton Jones got up and lost his bearings briefly and then after officials told him to leave the field for a concussion exam, he was simply caught in a bit of a profane rant on an official's mic.

That's all there was to it.

The play happened in Sunday's Bears 31-26 Bears loss to the Detroit Lions, and Jones was out and then in very quickly, but it led to a confusing situation.

"So, in the play, I had rolled and tumbled and I just got up way too quick," Jones said. "Just got a little dizzy. I just needed a second. The refs took me off. I was evaluated. I was completely fine, honestly. I just think I was tired, needed 10 seconds to re-gather myself, but we didn't have 10 seconds, obviously, the play clock was going down."

His rant was about not being able to see.

"Just needed to get off and get evaluated," he said. "I was completely fine. I knew I was fine. That's kind of why I was frustrated, but no need to react like that and I apologize for reacting like that. Just in the moment, I want to be out there for my teammates and everything like that. Nothing was wrong with me. I got evaluated and was right back out there playing."

Jones had neck surgery earlier in the season so this was one immediate concern. Also, the way he was hollering about not being able to see led to the obvious -- that he might have been poked in the eye.

Jones wasn't even involved in a great deal of contact on the play.

"I've been very careful in terms of those head-on collisions just with my neck and that injury, but it had nothing to do with that," he said. "Nothing at all. I think I just tumbled and got up way too quick. And that's what happened.

"When I got up, everything rushed to my head. I just was kinda stuck there for a second and a little bit dizzy and off balance. Other than that, I needed a second. Needed a water. But I was fine. I got evaluated and checked on and was good to go."

Part of the reason Jones became so animated was all his teammates were hollering at him.

Chicago Bears lineman Braxton Jones says that he had vision issues -- in slightly different words.pic.twitter.com/WJpVXquR9u
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 19, 2023

"My teammates also were just trying to help me, telling me to get down and just make sure that I was all right," Jones said. "In the mix of emotion and a lot going on and a close game there, just was frustrated. Honestly, I probably didn't even need to come out, but they just wanted to check on me and make sure I was OK. The frustration just came from, I want to be there for my teammates."

There was no injury report Monday for the Bears from Sunday's game beyond Jones' all's well proclimation.

They don't play until the Week 12 Monday night game in Minneapolis. So with an extra day of practice, there will be no real injury report forthcoming until Thursday. And on that day they won't even have practice. They're off for Thanksgiving, so it will only be a projection if they had practiced.

People celebrating Whitehair’s benching like Lucas Patrick isn’t going to get injured after four snaps
— Kev (@Kev_WCG) November 15, 2023

The first real injury report would be Friday.

When it comes out, issues to clear up are the health of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (knee), running back D'Onta Foreman (ankle) and center Lucas Patrick (back). Foreman came into the game questionable, played and then took a hit and left. Edmunds played until late in the game but came out on the final drive.

Patrick took a blind-side hit on what was thought to be a takeaway and return, but had been blown dead. He was hit trying to track down the ball carrier. The Bears are going to give thought to turning the play over to the league. No penalty was called when he was hit.