We already have a good idea of Justin Fields the quarterback now. He’s played some excellent football over the past two months. His running ability is second in the NFL only to Lamar Jackson. The more exciting part is how far he’s come as a passer. He is much more comfortable in the pocket, and his processing speed has improved every week. Yet that is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to playing that position. In addition to handling the ball more than anybody, quarterbacks are also expected to be team leaders.
Evaluators weren’t sure what to make of Fields in that regard. Nobody questioned his toughness. He’d proven that many times over during his run at Ohio State. However, his somewhat stoic nature made it difficult to know how teammates responded to him when he spoke. We’re starting to get glimpses of that in recent weeks. It’s clear Fields’ voice is resonating inside that locker room. Guys speak glowingly about him, from his toughness to the work he puts in. Nobody summed it up better than rookie Jaylon Johnso on Marquee Sports Network.
“I think that’s a guy that we all respect. His work ethic, how much he loves this game, how much he cares about this team, and how much he truly loves this game. His aura is contagious and you can tell he’s a winner. He wants to do anything he can to help this team win by any means. A guy like they’re you’re going to always respect and want to go to war with.”
Justin Fields continues to set the standard.
What stands out the most about him is his consistent message. Stats mean nothing to him. Every time people ask him about it, his answer is the same. The numbers don’t matter. His only goal is winning games. That is reflected in how he plays. He’s willing to take the hits to keep plays alive. He’ll hand the ball off whenever the situation dictates it rather than seek to pad his stats. Unselfish. Quarterbacks like that are hard to find. He never yells at guys. He only pulls them aside to discuss how to correct mistakes. Little things like that make it easy to see why teammates love him.
Excitement is building. Even as the Bears struggle through another losing season, everybody can see what’s on the horizon. Justin Fields is a legitimate franchise quarterback. If the Bears can put together a solid roster around him, this team has a chance to win many football games in the near future. GM Ryan Poles is ready for that challenge. He has oodles of cash coming his way, as well as a potential top five draft pick. This team might not be far from playoff contention if he does his job.
Subscribe to the BFR podcast and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
@jasonflojet – I agree 100%. Very well stated!
Fields is tough, smart, crazy athletic, and has a right arm that’s been kissed by God. He stays healthy, he’s the best Bears QB, ever. The main evaluation the Bears need to make: how to fix the O-line so that Fields has a clean pocket on a more consistent basis. If Braxton Jones is the answer at left tackle – still an ‘if’ – the Bears are left with needs at right tackle, center, and maybe left guard. They get this fixed, though, and the Bears will reliably score 30 pts a game – and that’s with the existing receivers.… Read more »
Love this. Camera showed JF on the sideline… being worked on by a trainer. He had a tablet in his hand STUDYING! even then. That is a PERFECT example of how hard working he is. I feel like a little like a ‘bad fan’ wanting them to ‘lose close’, so bears can get #2 overall. this is gonna be a GREAT offseason…we’ll be discussed and cussed… over and over and over until the draft happens. I LIKE that kind of attention. question. for 3.5 quarters last week… Getsy was calling a good offensive game. Wondering if the 3.5-4 quarter “reversal… Read more »
Open note to Justin Fields Keep doing what you are doing and you will have the unwavering love and respect of Bear fans everywhere. You have the opportunity to be this franchises next Walter Payton. Do not take that lightly, you can be the foundation and the leader of this team for your entire career. Walter did it for 13 years and got a super bowl out of it. You can achieve that and more as a quarterback that can finally silence the inane talk of how bad Chicago QBs are. You can transcend that stigma and be one of… Read more »
JF1 reminds me of Randall Cunningham and that’s a good thing. Is he the Ultimate Weapon 2, or is that L. Jackson and JF1 is UW3?