The Chicago Bears had some good times with Justin Fields. Unfortunately he didn’t develop well enough as a passer, and general manager Ryan Poles decided to move on with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
There should be no hard feelings on either side. A general manager traded an underperforming quarterback who was drafted before he got there. More than that, Poles respected Fields’ wishes in regards to his next landing spot: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Now, Fields gets a fresh start with Pittsburgh, where he’ll have to battle Russell Wilson for the starting quarterback job.
Fields is still a decent player. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in terms of his ability to make something out of nothing, but that wasn’t good enough with his limited passing ability to stick around as a starter in Chicago. Only time will tell if the Steelers can figure him out.
Pittsburgh has Mike Tomlin as their head coach, and he’s well known for establishing a great football culture. Fields mostly had a bad experience in Chicago in terms of winning and losing, so his recent subtle jab about the difference in culture with the Bears and Steelers makes sense.
Fields has the talent and athleticism to become a top QB in the NFL, if Pittsburgh handles this situation the right way. Wilson also has a lot that he can offer a young quarterback who has a lot of the same skills. Having a Super Bowl champion like that around will be great for Fields.