Bears: All-Pro defender warns NFL about Justin Fields
It's no secret that Justin Fields' rookie season didn't go as the Chicago Bears envisioned. But that didn't stop him from leaving a big impression on the players he played against in those games. There were times when Fields fully displayed the traits and intangibles that persuaded the Bears to trade up and draft him […]
It's no secret that Justin Fields' rookie season didn't go as the Chicago Bears envisioned.
But that didn't stop him from leaving a big impression on the players he played against in those games.
There were times when Fields fully displayed the traits and intangibles that persuaded the Bears to trade up and draft him with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. And during those times, Fields certainly looked like a guy who could carry an NFL franchise.
One player, Steelers All-Pro and likely Hall of Famer Cameron Heyward, quickly took notice of what Fields did in their matchup and has a pretty strong outlook on the former Buckeye's future.
"He always puts the defense at a disadvantage [because] he's able to run [and] he's able to throw," Heyward said on the most recent episode of NFL Network's NFL Total Access. "I loved him in college because of those reasons. I hated playing against him because of those reasons.
"You look at what he does: He's able to stretch the field with the tight ends, he's got a great receiver. He's just got a lot of pieces growing around him. In that game [Pittsburgh vs. Chicago 2021], we were tired as heck. We were trying to get off the field and he made it hard on us.
"With Justin, I'm so happy I got my pick on him, because he's just going to continue to get better. The picks won't happen every single time. He's a heck of a talent, he's going to continue to learn – they just gotta build around him."
The NFL is a brotherhood, so it's hard to find players who will publicly call out another player for a poor performance or for just being bad, in general. However, you could hear the sincerity in Heyward's voice as he praised Fields.
And if anyone knows what a good player looks like, it's Heyward.
The second-year quarterback lead a 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter back in Week 9 of the 2021 season and had the Bears up, 27-26, before Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers on a 52-yard drive that ended with Chris Boswell's game-winning 40-yard field goal.
The tough loss was easily one of Field's best performances last year, but it showed what Fields is truly capable of if he's given a chance to succeed. Which, he didn't have much of last year.
The rest of the NFL would be wise to heed Heyward's words and take notice of Fields. Because the sky is the limit and it's just a matter of time before he gets there.
Featured image via Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
