Former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields sits on the bench.Justin Fields (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
An unnamed former Chicago Bears coach offered a rather harsh take on quarterback Justin Fields, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in March for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick.

As everyone expected, the Bears used the first overall pick via the Carolina Panthers on USC quarterback Caleb Williams a month after trading Justin Fields. Chicago obtained that selection as part of the package for the first overall pick of 2023, which the Panthers used on quarterback Bryce Young.

Fields will back up Russell Wilson (signed to a one-year contract following his release from the Denver Broncos) in Pittsburgh. The Steelers parted ways with Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitch Trubisky, the three quarterbacks they used last season.

Speaking to Tyler Dunne of GoLongTD.com, a former Bears coach offered a rasher harsh assessment of Fields:

Watch his eyes. He tries to see the whole thing and doesn’t see anything. His eyes are all over the place and it’s just really hard to watch. It’s just bad football.

Chicago traded up via the New York Giants in 2021 so they could select Justin Fields with the No. 11 pick. Though Fields’ tenure in Windy City was marred by inconsistent play, the Bears also didn’t give him much of a supporting cast until superstar wideout DJ Moore arrived as part of the Bryce Young trade.

Sure enough, Fields put together the best passing numbers of his career (61.4 completion percentage, 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and a career-low nine interceptions) last season.

Justin Fields Needed A Fresh Start

Fields may not get much playing time in Steel City this season, but the Ohio State product needed a fresh start one way or another. The Bears never seemed fully committed to Fields in the first place, after all.

Even if Russell Wilson locks down the starting job, Fields will only benefit from learning behind a perennial Pro Bowler and Hall of Fame head coach in Mike Tomlin. And if Fields hits the free agent market in 2025, there will not be a shortage of teams interested in his services.