NEWSLETTER
First impressions are everything. And on his media blitz, Justin Fields left a good one.
I’ve pulled some interesting thoughts and highlights from Fields’ post-Draft media tour. I have also added some commentary for context, perspective, depth, and analysis. Enjoy!
What Kind of Player is Fields?
Naturally, the first thing on everyone’s mind is to ask what kind of player the Bears are getting. Rather than do it myself, here’s Fields on his own behalf:
“The kind of player the Bears are getting is a versatile player, a player that can make plays both with my arm and also with my legs and, of course, a smart player; a player that’s going to make smart decisions and a player that wants to win, that’s willing to do whatever to win.”
*Chef’s kiss*
Big Game Fields
Bears QBs haven’t played their best in primetime in recent years.
Sure, they’ve won a fair number of those games under the lights, but the defense did a bunch of the heavy lifting. By drafting Fields, Chicago’s hope is that its quarterback of the future can be a deciding factor in a few more wins moving forward. Fields has ample experience in primetime games as a college standout. Rivalry games against Michigan, bowl games, and college football postseason bouts put Fields on the map for many fans. And for what it’s worth, Fields relishes those moments.
“When big moments present themselves, I feel like there’s just another thing that kicks in inside of me,” Fields said. “Capitalizing in big moments and playing well on big stages is definitely one of my strengths.”
Here’s to the Bears providing plenty of those opportunities in the years to come.
I’d love to see him replicate this against That Team In Wisconsin™ in a must-win rivalry game:
Justin Fields briefly left the Ohio State-Michigan game with a knee injury.
First play back, he threw a DIME! 😮 pic.twitter.com/UCoJ0p9B98
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 30, 2019
Or this in a playoff game:
Justin Fields turns 2️⃣2️⃣ today which is more than enough reason to revisit his 6 TD dimes in the game of his life against Clemson in January.
cc: fans of teams with a top 5 pick pic.twitter.com/8O6Kw7NuJz
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 5, 2021
Russell Wilson Comp
Bears fans near and far spent much of the offseason following Russell Wilson trade rumors and dreaming of a future with him under center. A Wilson deal never came to fruition, but Fields comparing his game to Wilson’s should make your ears perk.
“I think we have a lot of similarities between extending plays with our legs and also having the arm talent,” Fields said. “His deep ball is one, just off the top of my head. The way he puts it up, a lot of arc on it. His accuracy, of course, and just how he carries himself as a leader, as a teammate. I like his game because he’s an accurate quarterback. He also uses his legs. I think those are some similarities that we have.”
There is a real dual-threat aspect in Fields’ game. I wouldn’t call him a running quarterback. Doing so because you see his rushing highlights would be a mistake. Instead I see Fields as a pocket quarterback with mobility. And while I hate placing a one-for-one comparison on Wilson, I’ll say that Fields’ game is in the mold of Wilson’s. As far as I’m concerned, that’s one heckuva QB to shape your game after.
Odds and Ends
⇒ It’s not every day when you hear a quarterback say the Bears are a perfect fit. But here we go:
“I think I fit perfectly,” Fields said. “If (GM Ryan Pace) didn’t think I fit well, he wouldn’t have traded up. Just talking to (Head Coach Matt Nagy), getting to know how he communicates with his quarterbacks and his learning style, I think that’s going to make me a better quarterback, a better player because he’s going to teach me a lot.”
⇒ It’ll be a case of déjà vu all over again for Fields as he arrives to Chicago as a rookie who doesn’t know anyone in the locker room. That would be a heavy moment for some. But for Fields, who experienced something similar as he transferred from Georgia to Ohio State, I think he has a grasp of things:
“I didn’t have personal relationships with my teammates there, so what I did there was show them how much I wanted to win and how much I wanted to be there. I did that by working hard in workouts and weight training and coming in first in sprint drills and stuff like that. As time went along, I just started building personal relationships from guys who were freshmen, guys who were seniors, and guys who were walk-ons. I think it’s very important to get to know your teammates and build those personal relationships with them, so that way you can connect on the highest level.”
⇒ Let’s be honest with ourselves: We’re all totally here for the dog content:
Bears fam, Uno.
Uno, Bears fam. https://t.co/xqFT8JAa1l pic.twitter.com/Bgd0UcxWLE— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 30, 2021
⇒ Welcome home:
.@justnfields: "Feels like I’m home.”@MillerLite | #BearsDraft pic.twitter.com/bOPGniGsYU
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 30, 2021
4/30 @WaddleandSilvy & @TWaddle87 Pod-
– New Bears QB @justnfields!
– @DickersonESPN
– @RealMikeWilbon
– Plus, TONS of reaction!Download and subscribe on the ESPN Chicago App- https://t.co/wW3aSvGO3C pic.twitter.com/zmiphy1550
— ESPN 1000 (@ESPN1000) April 30, 2021
The one where @ParkinsSpiegel explain to Justin Fields how quarterback-starved we are in Chicago and he responds by telling them his goals are to win a Super Bowl, win an MVP award and make Hall of Fame.
Listen to segment: https://t.co/jSXoFdIZn9
Story: https://t.co/9InGrWKzF0 pic.twitter.com/UMADflfnLy
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) April 30, 2021
