DJ Moore Explains Why He Walked Off Field In Middle Of Play

DJ Moore has clarified why he walked off the field in the middle of a play on Sunday.

Early in the first quarter of Chicago's 29-9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the Bears were driving and faced 2nd-and-6 just beyond midfield. The play broke down, and quarterback Caleb Williams scrambled for his life, desperately trying to find someone open.

Williams eventually rolled to his left, and Moore looked like he was trying to get open for his QB. But once he didn’t get the ball, Moore walked off the field and took off his helmet while the play was still going.

On Wednesday, Moore told reporters that his premature exit was due simply to a minor ankle injury.

"Tweaked the ankle," Moore said. "I was coming back [toward the quarterback], because I’d seen Caleb was scrambling. My ankle went in and out. I couldn’t stop, so my momentum took me out of bounds, and then I just walked off."

Moore limped to the bench as Williams proceeded to throw an incomplete pass to wide receiver Keenan Allen to close out the play. But Moore came back in on the next play, ultimately finishing the game with four receptions for 33 yards.

"The initial roll of the ankle was hurting bad, so that’s why I hobbled off and sat down," Moore said. "I came back in [the next play] and was kind of like . . . reindeer-ing — whatever it’s called — down the middle of the field. But I didn’t stop playing the game. I didn’t not go back in the game."

What's Going On With DJ Moore And The Chicago Bears?

Moore's puzzling action came one week after Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson made headlines for taunting Washington Commanders fans in the middle of a last-second Hail Mary play that ultimately lost the game for Chicago. That one-two punch had fans and media questioning whether head coach Matt Eberflus had completely lost the locker room.

READ: Bears' CB Tyrique Stevenson Demoted Following Bonehead Behavior On Hail Mary Play

But Moore said he wasn't fazed by the criticism.

"The noise — I hear it, seen it. Really don’t care. It is what it is," Moore said. "They could take it how they want to. They [did] without even knowing what happened mid-play. Can’t stop y’all from doing what y’all want to do."

This offseason, Moore and the Bears agreed to a four-year, $110 million contract extension, with $82.6 million guaranteed — the most lucrative contract in the franchise's history. The 27-year-old has 37 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns in eight games this season.

The 4-4 Bears will host the 2-7 New England Patriots on Sunday.