Justin Fields addresses Chicago Bears quarterback controversy
Justin Fields will make his return as the Chicago Bears starting quarterback on Sunday when the Bears play the Detroit Lions.
Fields has missed the previous four weeks recovering from a dislocated right thumb injury and along with returning to the quarterback position for the Bears, the third-year quarterback took his place at the podium on Wednesday for his regularly scheduled press conference with reporters.
Of course, Fields was asked about the idea of there being a quarterback controversy with undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent.
Justin Fields on some wanting a QB controversy.
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) November 15, 2023
“That’s the world we live in nowadays. Everybody wants to cause media attention, boom, boom, boom, comments, stories. That’s just what comes w/ it. I knew that was going to happen from the get-go so it came to me as no surprise.”
The idea of there being a quarterback controversy between Fields and Bagent was mostly driven by fans as opposed to the media. It was a flawed idea considering that many fans took their preference for the Bears wanting to move on from Fields after the season as the reason why Bagent may be the answer at the quarterback position. Different does not mean better and that was the case for Bagent as his extended time as the team’s starting quarterback exposed his limitations.
Speaking of the Bears potentially moving on from Fields at the end of the season, many view the remaining seven games of the Bears’ season as the period where the team will make their final determination on their current starting quarterback.
Justin Fields on how he is viewing these last seven regular season games and if he is thinking big picture.
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) November 15, 2023
"Nah. I mean it just starts with Sunday and just taking this day by day. So yeah that’s my focus right now. I am just focusing on Sunday and getting prepared for that,… pic.twitter.com/tBEMxHILVM
It feels like we need to reset where things stood for Fields before the injury. Fields was well on his way to having the first 3,000-passing-yard season of his career as he totaled 1,201 passing yards through his first 6 games this season while totaling 12 touchdowns against 6 interceptions.
Entering Week 6 of the season, Fields was tied for the most passing touchdowns in the NFL on the season.
Fields was beginning to show signs of legitimate development as a passing quarterback and trending toward once again being the answer for the Bears as the quarterback position. If that development resumes with his return on Sunday, then these next seven games will just be the beginning of the Bears living a life with a firm answer at the quarterback position.