It doesn’t seem to matter how many times one looks back. How the Chicago Bears landed Justin Fields in the 2021 draft doesn’t seem real. Everything about that situation says the QB should’ve been long gone. He was way too talented and way too proven. Yet somehow he slipped to #11 and the Bears made sure they were there to capitalize. Even now fun little details continue to emerge about what happened. The latest coming courtesy of team president Ted Phillips.
He, GM Ryan Pace, and head coach Matt Nagy appeared on the Bears Coaches Show with Jeff Joniak to talk about the state of the franchise. Usually, these sessions don’t reveal much. However, Phillip was surprisingly forthcoming on what happened back in April. Joniak asked about what happened that night and his thoughts on Pace’s “no regrets” philosophy. Phillips revealed the following.
- Pace knew the 8-12 range of the 1st round was likely where they’d need to get for a chance at Fields if he slipped past the 49ers at #3.
- He had a set price he was willing to pay in terms of the package to move up and would not go over.
- Last but not least, he hinted the Bears had contingency plans to trade down from #20. They held off on discussing offers until the last moment in hopes they could still get him.
From there it isn’t hard to piece everything together.
Trey Lance went to San Francisco at #3. Nobody between #4 and #7 was taking quarterbacks. So it came down to whether Carolina (#8), Denver (#9), or somebody else might move up to get him in that range before Chicago could. There was a lot of breath-holding during that sequence. The Panthers and Broncos both took cornerbacks. Dallas traded back from #10 with Philadelphia who drafted DeVonta Smith.
Once that happened and Fields got to #11, everything fell into place. The New York Giants, having missed out on Smith, had nobody left on their board they were thrilled with taking at that spot. Pace called them up with an offer that included the Bears’ 2022 1st round pick. New York accepted and the deal was made. Fields was coming to Chicago.
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Ted Phillips has chased this white whale for decades
He became the President and CEO of the Bears back in 1999. Since then, the team has taken several huge swings at the quarterback position. Months after his appointment, they selected Cade McNown in the 1st round. That flopped. Four years later, a new GM in Jerry Angelo tried again with Rex Grossman in the 1st round. Though he helped the Bears to the Super Bowl, he proved to be their weak link.
Angelo got a second chance though and used it to trade for Jay Cutler in 2009. It almost worked. Chicago reached the NFC championship in 2010 and was rolling again in 2011. Both opportunities were ruined by Cutler injuries. After that, the team began a long decline. Not until Pace was going into his third season did the Bears try yet again with Mitch Trubisky. That one probably hurts Ted Phillips the most, knowing the Bears had their pick of any guy in that 1st round crop and got the only one that wasn’t any good.
Now he here is again.
Is Fields that metaphorical white whale he’s chased for 22 years? That is certainly the hope. The young man is probably the most talented quarterback they’ve ever drafted. He carries himself like a veteran with confidence and leadership. His preseason performance was a nice taste of what he can do. If he does live up to his immense potential, that fateful night in April will go down in franchise history as an all-time moment.