The Chicago Bears had high hopes when they drafted Justin Fields in 2021. Fields was viewed as a franchise quarterback, taken with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the draft.
Things didn’t come to pass during his rookie season. A new report suggests a “toxic” relationship with two other quarterbacks on the squad may have been a contributing factor.
Nick Foles, MVP of Super Bow LII, and Andy Dalton, a three-time Pro Bowler were also on the Chicago depth chart in 2021.
According to a report from “Go Long”, Fields didn’t want to listen to the advice offered by others, particularly Foles.
The outlet suggests the relationship between the rookie and the others was “toxic as hell” and that Foles and Fields, “could not stand each other.”
“There were several arguments amongst the QBs,” the outlet writes, noting one situation in which Foles realized Fields “wasn’t even paying attention” to something he was saying.
“At that point, Foles was done trying to play mentor,” they add. “The two could not stand each other.”
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Justin Fields And Nick Foles Didn’t Get Along
As the “Go Long” report cites anonymous sources, it’s impossible to know who exactly was the catalyst for the toxicity between Foles and Justin Fields.
But that story has serious JaMarcus Russell vibes to it. Fields wasn’t listening to advice from a QB who had reached the pinnacle of success in the league.
Russell, you may recall, famously was given blank film tapes to bring home to study so the coaching staff could see if he was actually viewing them. He would return to practice the next day saying he had studied the film.
Okay, maybe it’s not that bad. But, as former Bears director of player personnel Josh Lucas has said in previous conversations, not keeping an open mind when an experienced teammate wants to offer advice is never a good idea.
“Justin wasn’t great his rookie year, we thought having two vets with him would really help him with Andy and Nick and that was not cohesive at all,” Lucas told the “Bears Banter Podcast” in February.
“The part you don’t like about it is that there’s a teachable moment in every point of practice. There’s teachable moments in the building during the day, how you carry yourself as a quarterback. There’s teachable moments at press conferences.”
“There’s teachable moments every snap on Sunday,” added Lucas. “When you’ve got two guys that have won as much as Nick and seen as much as Andy, and you don’t take that information in, because you’re a little standoffish and a little abrasive, you’re wasting that opportunity.”
Should Bears keep Fields and draft Caleb? Josh Lucas says it didn't work well with Fields and Dalton/Foles.
— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) February 15, 2024
"Justin wasn't great his rookie year, we thought having two vets with him would really help him and that was not cohesive at all."
Full interview: https://t.co/Pk8RkcMUzh pic.twitter.com/dbIwlHZWHS
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The Bears’ 2021 Season Was Pretty Toxic Too
Justin Fields’ rookie season was a disaster. He passed for well under 2,000 yards, had 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, for a passer rating of just 73.2.
The Bears finished with a 6-11 record.
Foles, meanwhile, was waived at the end of the season, winding up with the Indianapolis Colts. Dalton moved on to the New Orleans Saints.
Fields would play two more seasons for the Bears, rarely passing over 200 yards in any game in 2022. He improved slightly in 2023, but it wasn’t enough.
By then, however, the team felt it was time to move on, trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That deal was for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft and a potential fourth-round pick if he plays 51% of the team’s snaps.
He will serve as a backup to recently acquired quarterback Russell Wilson.
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