‘Pro about his body:' Day details conversations on Justin Fields’ epilepsy
COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday, NFL Network reporters Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport confirmed that quarterback Justin Fields has been managing epilepsy after his diagnosis with the neurological disorder as a youth.
The report said Fields "has seen his symptoms get shorter and less frequent over time," and doesn’t have seizures as long as he takes his medication to manage the condition.
Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day said Friday that he and Fields “didn’t have a whole bunch of conversations” about the quarterback’s epilepsy, and Day praised the way Fields has handled his health.
“Justin’s a private person, that’s his business. We just talked about how he’s gonna handle it, the medication that he takes,” Day said. “He always was professional about that, and because of that, it was never really an issue. It was never really much of a topic of conversation. I think one of the best things he does was take care of his body, and he did that.”
Day tweeted Thursday about the reports that have come recently during Fields’ pre-NFL draft process, stating “Justin’s health, toughness and work ethic have never been an issue and I am incredibly proud of his professionalism and the character he displays on and off the field.”
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Fields’ health while at Ohio State wasn’t much of a concern aside from the hard hits he took in certain games, such as to his knee at Michigan in 2019 and ribs in the Sugar Bowl against Clemson on Jan. 1.
The gunslinger played in all 22 games during his two years as a Buckeye, and Day emphasized that point, citing that Fields has taken his health and vegan diet change “very, very seriously.”
“He was always a pro about his body and his health, so never really had to worry about that,” Day said. “Even when he took those shots and had to come back from those games and then play the next week, he was well. Was a pro, was durable, was reliable, and I never had to worry about any of that stuff with Justin.”
Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said while he was aware Fields was managing epilepsy, he was impressed with the way the then-Georgia transfer arrived at Ohio State prior to the 2019 season with no expectations to win the starting gig, instead focused on improving in the weight room and building relationships with his teammates.
“He’s an unbelievably talented player, but I think he’s an unbelievably gifted young man. The way he managed that is, I think, the way he’s managed a lot of things in his life,” Wilson said. “He’s gonna have a phenomenal opportunity to be a great pro player. He’s been an awesome Buckeye, I love him to death, and wish him nothing but the best. I’ve just got a lot of respect for not only the way he managed with epilepsy, but just the way he came in, managed everything since he’s been here.
“He’s been a great teammate, been a great team leader, he’s a tremendous player. He’s a man I have a lot of respect for.”
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Wilson also reminisced on running back Trey Sermon’s 64-yard touchdown Dec. 5 at Michigan State, and stated that Ohio State could pull video clips from practice where Fields was running downfield to make blocks much like he did in that game on a “daily” occurrence.
The first round of the NFL draft is less than a week away, and much is left to speculate on where Fields and other Buckeyes will spend the next chapter of their football journey, this time on a professional field.
Day said he understands the pre-draft process of teams learning and inquiring about many aspects of each prospect's life, and that given the way Fields has carried himself, perhaps the recent news was something that peeled the curtain a bit far back.
“Justin is a private guy, and I’m not sure that he wants the world to know some of his private things, but I guess when you’re about to be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the draft, you’re exposed to some different things, and I guess that’s kind of the way it goes,” Day said. “But I’m sure it’s not something he wanted to share with everybody.”