Justin Fields has no ego when it comes to hard work. If he feels his game needs help to improve, he’ll seek it from wherever he can find it. That includes specialists who excel at teaching the fundamental basics of playing the position. According to various sources, Fields has linked up with respected trainer Oliver Bozeman. He established the Bozeman Academy, a center meant to teach everybody, from youth to NFL players, about the fundamentals and techniques of playing the position.
While it took several years to get situated after his playing days ended in the early 2000s, Bozeman has found plenty of believers in his program. Former Pro Bowler Michael Vick is one of them. His career appeared over. Teams weren’t calling in 2015. So he went to work with Bozeman, according to Dan Pompei of The Athletic. The impact was felt almost immediately.
Oliver Bozeman, a quarterback specialist at The Chamber, worked with Vick on mechanics. In the past, Vick used to hold the ball with his entire hand touching leather. Chambers said Vick changed his grip so a pencil could fit between his palm and the football. He also changed the height of his delivery.
Vick used what he learned to great effect in a tryout with Pittsburgh later that year. He got the job as a backup and helped them win two games when Ben Roethlisberger went down with an injury. The Steelers made the playoffs. Bozeman also gave a big assist to another NFL quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater. His efforts helped the former 1st round pick have the best season of his career in 2021 with Denver, throwing for 3,000 yards, 18 TDs, and only seven interceptions.
Justin Fields appears to be in capable hands.
While Bozeman doesn’t have any magic elixir, he clearly puts his QBs through a solid training regimen that helps clean up a flawed technical process. That has been a persistent issue with Fields since he arrived in 2021. Though a superior athlete, he doesn’t always play the QB position the way one should. His throwing style can sometimes be elongated and slow while his processing speed is inconsistent. He did make progress last year in those departments.
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Now it’s clear he is intent on cleaning them up even further. It is another reason why Justin Fields seems almost destined for success. People often forget how hard the Bears quarterback works. He’s willing to put in the necessary time to make himself great. If he listens to Bozeman’s instructions, the results should show when the action kicks off this September.
