Chicago Bears WR DJ Moore dispels notion he quit on 1st quarter play where he walked off field

LAKE FOREST – One Chicago Bears play from Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals circulated more than any other on social media this week. Bears wide receiver DJ Moore appeared to exit the field of play as quarterback Caleb Williams scrambled toward the sideline in the first quarter.

Williams spun his way around a would-be tackler and kept the play alive. Moore, however, was gone. His momentum carried him out of bounds and he walked – with a slight limp – to the bench while the play was still going on.

Some fans on social media interpreted it as Moore giving up on the play. The Bears finished out the play at a one-man disadvantage. Williams wound up throwing incomplete toward receiver Keenan Allen , who was called for offensive pass interference on the play.

Speaking with members of the media Wednesday at Halas Hall, Moore said he injured his ankle on the play and pulled himself out of the action.

"Tweaked the ankle," Moore said. "I was coming back because I'd seen Caleb was scrambling. My ankle went in and out. I was already – couldn't stop, so my momentum took me out of bounds and then I just walked off. The noise, I hear it, seen it. Really didn't care. It is what it is."

A player who goes out of bounds is ineligible to be the first person to touch the football unless he first re-establishes himself in bounds. So Moore could have returned to the field of play after going out of bounds. After the play, Moore went back in the game, although he said his ankle was still bothering him.

Asked about the play, head coach Matt Eberflus didn't have any problem with Moore pulling himself out due to injury.

"He rolled his ankle, right, on that particular play," Eberflus said. "So that's what I saw. That's what it was. We just move to the next play. We just got to do a good job, on those plays, of executing scramble drill and making sure we find guys open."

Moore seemed to think the whole discussion happening on social media was overblown.

"[People] could take it how they want to," Moore said. "They [did] without even knowing what happened mid-play. [I] can't stop y'all from doing what y'all want to do."

[People] could take it how they want to. They [did] without even knowing what happened mid-play. [I] can't stop y'all from doing what y'all want to do."

— DJ Moore, Bears receiver Fan frustration is at its highest point so far this season, and rightfully so. The Bears have lost two games in a row, including a dreadful effort Sunday in Arizona. The offense didn't find the end zone and the Bears lost by 20 points, 29-9.

Moore, no doubt, is probably frustrated too – even if he's not saying so publicly.

After totaling 1,364 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season, Moore has just 37 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns at the midway point of the 2024 season. Working with a rookie quarterback and a beat-up offensive line has led to fewer opportunities for Moore.

"Obviously, it's not in a place where we would like it," Williams said of his connection with Moore. "Both of us, it's frustrating because you've got a guy that's so special and not being able to connect and hit on certain passes is frustrating for myself and I know it's frustrating for him. As a wide receiver, especially, you only get so many chances, so many times the ball comes your way in a game."

Right now, the Bears aren't capitalizing on those chances.