One of the biggest surprises in Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season happened in Arizona. The Cardinals earned their third win in a row with a 29-9 drubbing of the Chicago Bears.

The Bears struggled on offense, gaining just 241 yards, their third-lowest in a single game this season. They gained just 73 yards during a second-half shutout to fall to 4-4.

However, one of the more perplexing plays came in the first quarter. With the game scoreless, Chicago was facing second-and-6 from the Cardinals' 48 when quarterback Caleb Williams dropped back.

After the protection broke down, Williams scrambled outside the pocket for nearly 12 seconds before firing a pass to Keenan Allen, which fell incomplete. Attentive viewers later noticed wide receiver D.J. Moore surprisingly walking off the field mid-play and heading for the bench.

Moore caught a key third-down pass to extend the drive two plays later. He'd end the day with four catches for 33 yards on nine targets.

Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn't have an answer for why Moore took himself out of the play when asked about it on Monday.

“I’m not sure the exact play, but I do know that one play, he stepped out of bounds, and I think the side judge threw his hat; he was out, so I believe that’s what happened. I have to watch the play specifically, but I think that might be the play you’re talking about,” Eberflus said per NBC Sports. “I don’t know the exact play, what you’re talking about, but somebody did make a comment to me. I have to go back and look at it.”

Moore addressed questions about the play on Wednesday. Here's what he said.

D.J. Moore on why he left the field mid-play

When asked about the play Wednesday morning, Moore shrugged and said it was a "tweaked" ankle.

"I was coming back... because I saw Caleb [Williams] scrambling, and my ankle went in and out," he said. "I already couldn't stop, so my momentum took me out of bounds and I just walked off."

He acknowledged he's seen some of the pushback on social media for leaving the field mid-play.

"The noise? I hear it, seen it," Moore said. "[I] really didn't care; it is what it is... [people] can take it how they want to, they wish they did without even knowing what happened mid-play.

The initial roll of the ankle was hurting bad so that's why I hobbled off and sat down. But I didn't stop playing the game. I didn't not go back in the game."

He said he was trying to keep his ankle in good shape on the sidelines. Moore was on the field for 73 of 74 offensive snaps in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals.

D.J. Moore stats

In eight games this season, Moore has a team-high 37 catches for 374 yards and three touchdowns on 60 targets.

D.J. Moore contract

Moore signed a four-year, $110 million contract extension with the Bears that can keep him on the team through 2029. That contract is one of the 10 highest for a wide receiver in the NFL. Moore ranks sixth in total value, ninth in average per year, and seventh in total guaranteed money.

The 27-year-old receiver will see a big jump in compensation starting in the 2025 season. Here's how his contract looks on a yearly basis, per Spotrac and OverTheCap, with details if the Bears wanted to move on:

2024

• Cap hit: $7.2 million

• If cut: $48.1 million dead money ($27.65 million dead cap, $20.45 million cap penalty)

• If traded: $4 million dead money, $3.2 million cap savings

2025

• Cap hit: $24.9 million

• If cut:

  • Pre-June 1: $36.65 million dead money, $11.75 million cap penalty

  • Post-June 1: $24.65 million dead money, $250,000 cap savings

• If traded:

  • Pre-June 1: $16 million dead money, $8.9 million cap savings

  • Post-June 1: $4 million dead money, $20.9 million cap savings

2026

• Cap hit: $28.5 million

• If cut:

  • Pre-June 1: $12 million dead money, $16.5 million cap savings

  • Post-June 1: $4 million dead money, $24.5 million cap savings

• If traded:

  • Pre-June 1: $12 million dead money, $16.5 million cap savings

  • Post-June 1: $4 million dead money, $24.5 million cap savings

2027

• Cap hit: $28.5 million

• If cut:

  • Pre-June 1: $8 million dead money, $20.5 million cap savings

  • Post-June 1: $4 million dead money, $24.5 million cap savings

• If traded:

  • Pre-June 1: $8 million dead money, $20.5 million cap savings

  • Post-June 1: $4 million dead money, $24.5 million cap savings

2028

• Cap hit: $28.5 million

• If cut: $4 million dead money, $24.5 million cap savings regardless of date

• If traded: $4 million dead money, $24.5 million cap savings regardless of date

2029

• Cap hit: $28.5 million

• If cut or traded: No dead money, $24.5 million cap savings regardless of date

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bears WR D.J. Moore says 'tweaked ankle' is why he left field mid-play