When Chicago Bears selected quarterback Justin Fields with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, hopes were high that the franchise had finally found its franchise quarterback. Fields possessed the raw athletic ability to add a dynamic element to their offensive attack, but athletic ability is never enough for a quarterback to succeed.
A quarterback is tasked with orchestrating the flow of the offense. From the time he leaves the huddles and gets to the line of scrimmage, he must make a mental note of every position, movement, and potential outcome that the defense presents him. A quarterback must memorize defensive personnel packages, formations, blitzes, and coverages.
In his three seasons with the Bears, Fields displayed an inability to read defensive coverages or process the field during his three seasons in the NFL. One anonymous Chicago coach recently described Fields as "hard to watch."
When Chicago had the opportunity to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, they traded Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who plan to develop Fields in a backup role to veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.
Justin Fields' past suggests potential for friction with Russell Wilson
If Wilson struggles during the 2024 NFL season, it's very likely that the Pittsburgh media and fanbase will begin to call for Fields as the starting quarterback. The locker room dynamic between Wilson and Fields has raised concerns about potential friction between the struggling duo.
The Bears carried veteran quarterbacks Andy Dalton and Nick Foles as mentors for Fields during his rookie season, but recent reports have suggested that Fields may not have been that willing to learn.
Fields' relationship with Foles was "toxic as hell," according to NFL writer Tyler Dunne. The animosity stemmed from Fields ignoring Foles while the veteran was trying to teach something to the rookie. According to Dunne, Foles and Fields "could not stand each other."
Former Bears director of player personnel Josh Lucas alluded to tension between Fields, Foles, and Dalton during an interview with Windy City Gridiron.
"Justin wasn't great his rookie year," Lucas said. "We thought having two vets with him would really help him — with Andy and Nick — and that was not cohesive at all."
Quarterbacks that don't start in their rookie seasons typically fair better than those who do. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes all spent the early days of their careers on the bench, observing and learning behind a seasoned veteran. Although Dalton started the first two games of the season, Fields started the remainder of his rookie season, and he could have benefitted from the experience and wisdom of Foles and Dalton.
"The part you don’t like about it is that there’s a teachable moment in every point of practice," Lucas added. "There's teachable moments in the building during the day, how you carry yourself as a quarterback. ... When you've got two guys that have won as much as Nick and seen as much as Andy, and you don't take that information in, because you're a little standoff-ish and a little abrasive, you're wasting that opportunity."
It would likely be better for Fields to sit the entirety of the 2024 season, but some fans have created an expectation of Fields that he is unable to live up to. Pittsburgh will be ready to start calling for Fields as soon as Wilson makes a mistake.
Perhaps Fields' experience in Chicago has humbled him, but if it hasn't, Pittsburgh needs to be careful with how they handle their quarterback room. The Steelers have been dangerously close to falling into a vicious cycle of ineptitude, and mismanaging their quarterback situation in 2024 could send them into the doldrums of the league.
