Here’s the thing about competitors. The biggest ones find creative ways to keep themselves motivated. Michael Jordan was a legend at this practice, even inventing stories that never happened to psyche himself up for games. That is how maniacal the all-time great was. Tom Brady is exactly the same way. The driving force behind his incredible career was falling to the 6th round of the 2000 draft. Aaron Rodgers did the same after falling to 24th in 2005. As it turns out, Justin Fields might still be salty about what happened last year.
People need to understand the context. Going into the 2020 college football season, everybody agreed it was a two-QB race for the #1 overall pick. Trevor Lawrence of Clemson and Fields of Ohio State. Both had great years, but when the time came to face off in the College Football Playoffs, Fields demolished Lawrence with six touchdown passes. The QB had every right to think he should be the first QB off the board the following April.
Then the pre-draft nonsense began.
Politics got involved, and craziness ensued before anyone could stop to ask what was happening. Lawrence still went #1 overall to Jacksonville, but then the New York Jets passed over Fields for BYU standout Zach Wilson. That was bad enough, but the real indignity came only ten minutes later. The San Francisco 49ers had traded up to the 3rd overall pick earlier that week. It was obvious they wanted a quarterback. Fields seemed like such a natural choice for that Kyle Shanahan offense.
Then the 49ers shocked everybody by taking Trey Lance, an athletic standout from North Dakota State. An FCS school. Here was Fields, having conquered some of the best programs in college football. He did everything right. Yet San Francisco still felt an unproven and less experienced QB was the better option than him. One wouldn’t blame him for taking that one personally. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney revealed as much during his recent press conference.
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Justin Fields has a chance to rub it in their faces.
There are multiple reasons for this. For one, he’ll be facing off against Lance, the guy San Francisco took over him. If that weren’t tasty enough, Fields will be playing in an offense schematically similar to what Shanahan runs. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy comes from the same coaching tree. It would be extra sweet to put on a good performance in the exact system the team that passed on him runs.
Then there is the more straightforward matter of revenge. San Francisco beat the Bears last year despite Justin Fields playing one of his best games. He finished with 175 yards passing, 103 rushing, two touchdowns, and an interception. It was sadly wasted as the defense allowed 33 points, including 18 in the 4th quarter. That should’ve been a signature win for Fields.
Avenging losses is something he takes great pride in.
It is hard to say what will happen on opening day. San Francisco still has the superior roster. Their defense is among the five best in the NFL. It will be a tough challenge for Fields to play well. If he does, that may finally wake many people up to how good he can be. Doing it against the 49ers of all teams would make it special.
No grudge by me. SF can have Lance. I’ll take our kid. He was passed over at GA too and look how well he did at OSU.
It was politics. False reports were running rampant like he doesn't work hard, he doesn't put football first, etc all because of his laid back demeanor.
what politics? every coach wants to have the best players… if Fields was considered better than Lawrence, he would have gone first. College statistics are just one of the many criteria for the teams. Fields having grudge on 49ers is ok… but you saying politics is not ok
If he can pull off a win…this season could be something much better than expected