Former teammate of Steelers’ Justin Fields says Chicago was, ‘Playing to lose’ with him at QB
Anytime a first-round QB is no longer on the team that drafted him before his rookie deal is up, you can assume something went array. The Pittsburgh Steelers know as much, having traded their own first-round QB less than two years into his tenure with the team. And for Justin Fields, his tenure in Chicago […]
Anytime a first-round QB is no longer on the team that drafted him before his rookie deal is up, you can assume something went array.
The Pittsburgh Steelers know as much, having traded their own first-round QB less than two years into his tenure with the team.
And for Justin Fields, his tenure in Chicago was so clouded by a lack of support, that one of his former teammates said there is no way they were trying to win:
Fields Set up for Failure
"Justin’s one of the most down to Earth people in the world," Former Bears cornerback Davontae Harris told the Bring The Juice podcast. "The job was never not his. I think it’s a matter of what he makes it, and I’ve been around him. He’s gonna turn it into an opportunity. (With the Steelers) he can be a star. Obviously, in Chicago he could too, but when I was in Chicago, they were playing to lose. When they’re playing to lose, it doesn’t matter what you do.”
During his time in Chicago, Fields went 10-28 and while he showed flashes, there wasn't enough production to justify keeping him when you had the first-overall pick and Caleb Williams in front of you as the Bears did.
It should also be noted that Chicago now has a much better ecosystem around Caleb Williams when comparing it to what Fields had to deal with. Before the trade for D.J. Moore, Fields' top option was Darnell Mooney, his line was porous and his HC and OC situation was a joke.
"Matt Nagy’s on his way out, he wants to play Andy Dalton. He throws him [Fields] in his first game and says, ‘Here play football.’ And then he gets sacked nine times by Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney and that Cleveland Browns defense," Jason Goff of NBC Sports Chicago told Bomani Jones of The Right Time. "That’s his introduction to the league…
“…Second year, (general manager) Ryan Poles comes in, ‘Hey, I got to tear this down, I want to build a different way.’ The youngest roster by far in the league. He’s throwing to special teamers. But also, he’s doing things that I didn’t expect him to do, like take off and run as often as he did. Is it all on Justin Fields? A sizeable portion of it is. But, I’m not one of these people that think that this wasn’t one of the worst situations you could drop quarterback in.”
And while Fields is situated behind Russell Wilson on the depth chart, the situation is undoubtedly better. The team used three of their first five picks in the 2024 NFL Draft to address the offensive line, have a proven OC, and at least two viable weapons with George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth.
So if Fields can see any action in 2024, the reasons or excuses will no longer be viable when it comes to what surrounds him.
ESPN insider thinks Cowboys’ Dak Prescott could be the Pittsburgh Steelers ‘long-term answer’ at QB
It’s not that far-fetched.
