Account
Justin Fields Says He's 'Going to Do Everything I Can' to Be Bears' Starting QB
May 14, 2021
Justin Fields doesn't plan on starting his NFL career on the bench.
"I think everybody on our team should be striving for a starting job and if you're not, then there's no reason for you to be here," the Chicago Bears quarterback told reporters Friday. "So, of course, I'm going to do everything that I can to get that starting job. It's not up to me, coach Nagy has a set plan on my development and stuff like that. I'm just gonna work hard and keep my head down and just keep grinding it out every day."
While the team has Andy Dalton and Nick Foles as veteran options at the position, Bears fans can be forgiven if they want to see the rookie on the field as soon as possible.
After all, this organization is starving for a franchise quarterback. Even the 1985 team that won the Bears' only Super Bowl title was far more reliant on running back Walter Payton and the defense than Jim McMahon. Elsewhere, Jay Cutler is the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards but had a middling 51-51 record as a starter.
Hall of Famer Sid Luckman played in the 1940s when the passing attack was far different, and the organization is still recovering from the decision to draft Mitchell Trubisky with the No. 2 overall pick in 2017 ahead of Patrick Mahomes.
That means the pressure will be on Fields, but that is nothing new for the Ohio State product.
"I've been kinda in the spotlight since high school, so I kinda feel like I'm made for this," Fields said. "I'm built for this. It's nothing new to me, I'm just gonna continue to work hard and continue to get better every day."
He was a 5-star prospect coming out of high school, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and played under the spotlight at big-time college programs in Ohio State and Georgia.
Fields will surely be on the field in the relatively near future considering Chicago traded up to draft him at No. 11. While he wants to start Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, throwing him out there against Aaron Donald in his first NFL game may not be Matt Nagy's long-term plan.