The NFL season has begun. Three rookie quarterbacks started Week 1 in Trevor Lawrence, Mac Jones, and Zach Wilson. It’s a safe bet that one of those three is the current favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021. Everybody knows it is almost always a quarterback. However, former Pro Bowl receiver Dez Bryant has a different person in mind. Somebody he is a big admirer of.
Justin Fields. That’s right. Bryant is apparently a big fan of the 11th overall pick. Fields posted on Instagram recently. It was a photo of him during his first game action in Los Angeles against the Rams. His tagline read, “All Glory to the Man Above.” The post got tons of attention from teammates like Eddie Jackson, Larry Borom, Jeremiah Attaochu, and Marquise Goodwin. Then Bryant’s name popped up in the comments, declaring Fields’ time is coming and that he will be Rookie of the Year when the dust settles.
This is another reminder that you never know who’s watching.
Would anybody have guessed that Bryant would be a fan of Fields? There aren’t any reasons to think so. The receiver didn’t go to Ohio State and comes from the state of Texas. Fields is from Georgia. So the only way he could’ve become a fan is by watching the quarterback during his successful run with the Buckeyes. That shows the sort of star power the kid brings to the table. That he was able to find loyal followers outside of Ohio.
Subscribe to the BFR podcast and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Bears fans certainly hope Bryant is correct. They’re desperate to see Fields play. The feeling is Andy Dalton isn’t going to give the offense what it needs. Yes, he is a smart and savvy veteran but Chicago needs more than that. Especially against the array of quarterbacks they’re going to face over the next two months. They have to score points. Fields, in spite of his inexperience, is the most capable of doing that.
Dez Bryant wasn’t alone in that excitement either
Former NBA legend Dwyane Wade also commented on the post. That is less of a surprise. Though a lifetime Miami Heat star, Wade is a Chicago kid at heart and a huge Bears fan. So his excitement about Fields is perfectly understandable. This should serve as a reminder to everybody of exactly what this kid represents. He is box office. His natural charisma is evident not just in how he plays but how he carries himself.
Make no mistake. If he ends up playing well, Justin Fields is going to own the city of Chicago for years to come. He’ll make the Bears organization a huge draw for fans who weren’t originally into them before. That is what happens when you have a star quarterback. Think what Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose did for the Chicago Bulls. Think what Patrick Kane did for the Blackhawks or Sammy Sosa did for the Cubs.
That is what faces of a franchise do.
Dez Bryant could be the first of many celebrity supporters to hop aboard the Fields train. It comes down to the kid seeing action and playing like everybody believes he can. That falls at the feet of Matt Nagy. He remains adamant the rookie won’t play until deemed ready.