Justin Fields was surprisingly traded to the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday in a deal nobody saw coming. The former 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft has now been on four different teams in four years, and his career outlook is grim. But NFL veteran Chase Daniel believes the move to Kansas City might be exactly what Fields needs to jumpstart his career.
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Fields has always been an athletic freak who feels like he should be better than he is. He should fit right into today’s mold of QBs. He’s a dual-threat guy who can really make a difference with his legs. In 2022, with the Chicago Bears, his best season, he averaged a staggering 7.1 yards per carry.
While Fields mostly struggled in the following years, he never had an offensive-minded HC to guide him. And that’s why KC’s Andy Reid could have a massive impact on the QB, maybe even nudging him in the direction he needs to go to flourish.
“I love this move so much,” Daniel said in a video posted on his X account. “Everyone knows that I really like Justin Fields. He’s had a really tough go at it. He’s been on 4 different teams in 4 years. But this will be his first time with an offensive head coach.”
Fields’ coaches while he’s been in the NFL have been downright atrocious. He first had Matt Nagy with the Bears, who was immediately fired and replaced by Matt Eberflus. Fields spent two seasons with Eberflus before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers and finally playing for Mike Tomlin, an excellent coach.
The issue with Tomlin, however, is that he doesn’t call the offensive plays. He’s a defensive-minded coach and handed the duties to Arthur Smith, whom the Atlanta Falcons previously fired. Then, this past season with the New York Jets, Fields played under Aaron Glenn, another former defensive coordinator.
If you’re keeping tally, that’s three defensive-minded head coaches, and basically half a season with Nagy. Now, with Reid in KC, Daniel thinks Fields could turn into something special.
“Do you remember what Andy Reid did with Mike Vick?” Daniel questioned, before adding, “I’m not saying that’s going to happen, but you can turn your career around.”
The former QB went on to mention that this move could also signify Patrick Mahomes won’t be ready for Week 1. At the very least, Fields will now get all of the offseason reps in camp as the QB1. The team and situation are a massive step up from anything he’s had in his career.
If Mahomes isn’t ready for the start of the 2026 season, having Fields should be quality insurance. Furthermore, if Mahomes re-injures himself at any point, he will be a better backup than what the Chiefs were trotting out there last season.
“Can you imagine what Andy Reid’s going to do with Justin Fields and Kenneth Walker and Rashee Rice and a receiver they’re probably going to draft in the first round? Look, Mahomes is the guy, but we don’t know about his recovery. I love this move, not only for the Chiefs, but for Justin Fields’ career trajectory.”
I DID NOT see this Justin Fields trade coming but it’s a huge deal for the Chiefs… pic.twitter.com/t6y79R24in
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) March 16, 2026
It’ll be interesting to track Mahomes’ injury as we get closer to the season and explore the possibility of Fields starting in Week 1.
Still, it’s not like Fields is going to walk into the KC system and magically become a new player. He has a career 61.4 completion percentage, which is well below the league average. He also hasn’t attempted more than 300 passes since 2023 while in Chicago, showing his recent coaches’ aversion to trusting him to throw the ball downfield. Fixing these issues will be of the utmost importance.
