NFL Exec Blasts Chicago Bears, Says They Were 'Bullied' By Steelers in Justin Fields Trade

But the road to nabbing a potential generational, franchise-altering talent at quarterback hasn’t always been a straight, easy one.

Chicago Bears, Paving The Way for Greatness?

Chicago set up this path via their monumental trade with the Carolina Panthers last year, when they traded away their first-overall pick for a haul of talent that brought them wide receiver DJ Moore and several high-quality draft picks; one of which eventually became this year’s top pick.

Part of making way for change, though, is clearing the past. That meant trading away starting quarterback Justin Fields.

Getting rid of Fields wasn’t an easy choice or even a popular one in some circles. And, as reality set in and the market for Fields started to shrink, it became a losing proposition for the team. Eventually, the talented 25-year-old was dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft that could become a fourth-round pick if Fields takes more than half of the Steelers’ snaps next season. It was far from the second-round pick many thought Fields would command.

Deemed a “robbery” by many experts and NFL insiders, Chicago took the lumps and moved on. Stories emerged of better deals turned down by the Bears, just for the sake of “doing right by Fields” and putting him on a preferred team.

Nonetheless, the criticism regarding the trade continues.

Did The Bears Get Fleeced in Justin Fields Trade?

In an interview with Mike Sando of The Athletic, an anonymous NFL executive went so far as to say that the Chicago front office was “bullied” into the bad deal.

“They almost got bullied or gave up,” the exec was quoted as saying. “Their asking price was probably too high initially, and then when they realized the seats got filled, they had to lower their ask. I don’t understand why you would make that trade because if somebody has an injury or doesn’t get the quarterback they thought they were going to get, the ask will be higher.”

Sando would insert some context into his piece, pointing to the silver lining around that dark cloud.

“Ending the Fields era before the (presumably) Caleb Williams era begins makes for a cleaner transition,” Sando wrote. “Williams will be in a better position to succeed than Fields was, because of his skill set and because the Bears are in a better position to support him. Acquiring Keenan Allen was a statement on that last point.”

Bears, Doing Things Right

Some Bears supporters point to the deference they showed Fields in getting the “right” trade for him as a symbol of a positive culture change in Chicago. To them, it was the start of doing things the right way, with the right regard when it comes to a player-positive winning atmosphere.

“The Bears’ grade gets a boost on sentiment,” Jeff Howe of The Athletic noted at the time. “No, general manager Ryan Poles can’t feed his family on sentimentality, but that does go a long way with players…

“They did right by Fields, and players will take notice and appreciate that. It may not pay immediate dividends in the win-loss column, but players notice when they’re treated like humans and not assets. If the Bears’ upward trajectory continues and remains sustainable, that’ll be something referenced as they work to establish a new culture. The Bears deserve some credit for that.”

And with the building they’ve been doing — adding wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back D’Andre Swift, and tight end Gerald Everett — in apparent preparation for Williams’ arrival, it’s hard to argue that they aren’t doing everything right to establish a winning culture in Chicago.

Now, fans will just have to sit back and see how everything plays out.