Over the past few years, several quarterbacks have failed to live up to their potential in the NFL. Justin Fields is one of them. Drafted 15th overall by the Chicago Bears in 2021, Fields entered the league with high expectations. But four years and three teams later, he’s still looking to find his footing. As he prepares for what will likely be a starting opportunity with the New York Jets in his fifth season, Fields knows this could be his last real shot to prove he belongs.
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Fields’ struggles aren’t solely the result of his own shortcomings, though issues like indecisiveness and a slow processing speed have plagued him at times. Still, his development was hardly helped by landing in Chicago, a franchise with a long and frustrating history of failing to develop quarterbacks.
Much like the Cleveland Browns, the Bears have used numerous high picks on QBs over the years, yet few have succeeded. That pattern speaks more to organizational dysfunction than to the players themselves.
It’s fair to wonder: what if Fields had landed in a better environment? What if, instead of going to Chicago, he had ended up somewhere like Kansas City? Could he have found the kind of success Patrick Mahomes has enjoyed with the Chiefs?
It’s a compelling hypothetical. In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Chiefs selected Mahomes 10th overall. That same year, the Bears took Mitch Trubisky with the second overall pick. Trubisky lasted four seasons in Chicago, posting a 29-21 record but failing to win a single playoff game. The Bears moved on from him in 2021, selecting Fields. And now, just a few years later, they’ve moved on again.
Meanwhile, in Kansas City, Mahomes quickly became a generational talent, winning multiple MVPs and Super Bowls, and solidifying himself as the face of the league. Could Fields have had a similar trajectory if he were drafted by the Chiefs?
Some former NFL players believe so, at least to a certain extent. While they don’t think Fields would’ve matched Mahomes’ historic production, they do believe he would have found significantly more success in Andy Reid’s system.
Mahomes benefited from a strong offensive line, creative play-calling, and elite weapons like Tyreek Hill early in his career. Fields would have had access to the same infrastructure, something he never came close to in Chicago.
They point to Jalen Hurts as a comparable case. Hurts, like Fields, is a dual-threat quarterback, and under the right coaching in Philadelphia, he blossomed into a reliable top-ten QB. Reid can tailor his offense to his quarterback’s strengths, and there’s little doubt he could have done the same for Fields.
Under Reid, Justin Fields would have had a stable system, a supportive organization, and the tools to succeed. He may not have become Mahomes, but he very well could have had a ring or two by now.
” Do you believe Justin Fields’ type can go play on the Chiefs and still have somewhat of a similar success as Patrick Mahomes on the Chiefs, with Andy Reid and Tyreek Hill there. I’m not saying he’s gonna win five rings, but do you think he wins two? Because he can run too. He looks more like a Jalen Hurts. It was tough in Chicago. You ain’t got no O-Line, but the Chiefs got an O-line. Nothing against DJ Moore and those wideouts, but with Andy Reid and Tyreek Hill in the mix, I think it looks a little bit different.”
Justin Fields still has time to salvage his career, though New York may not be the ideal place to do it. Like the Bears, the Jets are a franchise with a long history of instability and underachievement, particularly at the quarterback position. That said, there is reason for cautious optimism. In the six games he played for the Steelers last season, Fields flashed the raw talent that once made him a first-round pick.
If Aaron Glenn and the Jets’ coaching staff can give him a stable environment, a solid offensive line, reliable receivers, and a scheme that incorporates run-pass options tailored to his strengths, Fields might finally have the foundation he needs to thrive. Under the right conditions, he could still deliver his best football.
