Things didn’t work out for Justin Fields in Chicago, as he posted a 10-28 career record as a starter. It was a tumultuous and toxic situation with the Bears, however. Fields had two head coaches and three different offensive coordinators in his three years in Chicago. That’s an incredibly tough environment for a young quarterback to develop and grow in.
Colin Cowherd of FS1 threw out a zany comparison of Fields during The Herd on Wednesday, stating that Fields is in the same realm of Zach Wilson.
“Justin Fields is closer to Zach Wilson. I just don’t think he’s an NFL quarterback. So this idea that ‘he just needs a change of environment,’ [but] Tomlin’s a defensive coach,” Cowherd said. “They haven’t been able to get the offensive coordinator or the run game right. This idea that Justin Fields ‘just needs a new start’ — Why aren’t you saying that for Zach Wilson? Because the number looks the same.”
That’s a little harsh from Cowherd, Kenny Pickett is more on the Zach Wilson-level. Fields has at least put up decent numbers on terrible Bears teams.
Fields took a small step forward in 2023, his third year as Chicago’s starting quarterback. The Ohio State alum threw 370 times, completing 227 for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns. He threw nine interceptions and maintained an 86.3 passer rating and a 5.29 adjusted net yards per attempt.
In 2022, he was 192 of 318 for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, an 85.2 quarterback rating and 4.63 adjusted net yards per attempt.
Since 2022, Fields has the most rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,800 yards and 6.3 yards per carry. Both figures are higher than Lamar Jackson’s.
Former Steelers running back Merril Hoge thinks Chicago was a disaster of an environment for Fields. Historically, the Bears have never developed a top-flight quarterback. Jay Cutler is the franchises all-time leading passer with 23,443 yards.
“What they did to Justin Fields is probably one of the worst things you can do to any player. What I mean by that is every year he had a different coordinator. He had different learning, he had a different system, and there’s no way, I don’t care what your profession is, if you keep starting over and over, and you change things every single year, I don’t care what your skill set is, you can never get good,” Hoge said during an appearance on on The Bill Michaels Show.
“You can never get better. You can never evolve. You can never develop. That was unfortunate for him. Now, I actually believe he’s in a really awesome spot in Pittsburgh for that development, if they can hold on to those two years and develop him.”
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