The Chicago Bears knew what they wanted going into the 2021 NFL draft. They wanted a quarterback. GM Ryan Pace needed to wash away the stink of the Mitch Trubisky flop. Matt Nagy wanted his own handpicked guy. Even as far back as early 2020, one name was in the back of his mind. Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. Nagy had been told by good friend Ryan Day, the Buckeyes head coach that his young QB was something special.
It was a comment the Bears head coach kept in the back of his mind for over a year. As the 2021 draft came together, there were rumblings of something unexpected. Fields could end up dropping. Originally expected to go in the top two or three, rumors suggested teams were becoming wary of Fields and preferred other options. It isn’t clear why but sure enough things unfolded that way.
After Trey Lance went #3 overall to San Francisco, things got crazy.
Pick by pick, Fields kept dropping. Detroit at #7? Offensive tackle. Carolina at #8? Cornerback. Denver at #9? Cornerback. Philadelphia trading up to #10? Wide receiver. During all that time the Bears were burning up the phone lines trying to move up. They sensed an opportunity to get their guy. Finally, a call to New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman produced the results they were hoping for. Chicago jumped up from #20 to #11 overall and took Fields.
Much to the astonishment of those in attendance and at home. How in the world had Chicago just snagged what many experts and other teams around the league felt was the second-best quarterback in the draft? As it turns out, they weren’t the only ones. New footage courtesy of NFL Films revealed that Fields himself was shocked it ended up being the Bears.
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After receiving the call from Nagy that he was the pick, the QB was heard muttering a single sentence.
“Who would’ve thought Chicago?”
Right after that, the camera pans to him with a big grin on his face.
Justin Fields sounded like a man ready for revenge
He’d heard nothing but talk for months leading up to the draft. Incessant talk comparing him to the other quarterbacks in the draft. Why he didn’t deserve to go #1 overall. Why he could end up slipping down the board. He was tired of it and said as much at the end of the video. He’s ready to get to work. Fields backed up those words with a video of him working out in a Bears cap barely 24 hours after the draft was over.
Translation? Justin Fields has the look and demeanor of a man with a chip on his shoulder. Like he has something to prove. Two years of dominating the Big Ten wasn’t good enough for you? Fine. I’ll just come into Chicago, train harder than ever, and make the rest of the league pay for doubting me. Lost in that calm outer facade is how competitive the guy is. He takes every challenge personally. That is why he willingly plays through pain.
Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL.
Being talented isn’t enough to have success in this league. If Fields wants to be great, he’s going to need to put in an obsessive amount of work. The Bears must also work hard to help him. Both through proper coaching and surrounding the young QB with legitimate talent. They’re already pointed in the right direction with the addition of Teven Jenkins in the 2nd round to bolster the offensive line.
Conventional wisdom says Chicago had no business landing Fields in this draft. The fact they did could be something those other 10 teams live to regret.