One of the biggest fears among fans was what would happen in the locker room if the Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields. It was no secret the quarterback was beloved by his teammates. Many players, from D.J. Moore to Jaylon Johnson, Cole Kmet, Jaquan Brisker, and others, said they wanted Fields to remain the starter. They felt he was both the talent and leader the team needed to keep climbing towards the playoffs. That made the situation delicate for GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus.
Eventually, the moment came. Fields was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional draft pick in 2025. Poles said the deal made sense because it allowed the QB to compete for a starting job with a stable organization. The GM and head coach made sure to call him together once the deal became official, thanking him for enduring a tough situation the past three years with class and grace. That left one problem: informing the rest of the locker room. Adam Jahns of The Athletic revealed how that went down.
Eberflus then called Fields’ former Bears teammates. The team leaders needed to be contacted. The Bears wanted to break the news to them first. Tight end Cole Kmet, receiver DJ Moore and a handful of others received calls.
“(It’s) just being upfront and honest with those guys and they appreciated that,” Eberflus said. “Every guy that I talked to said, ‘Hey, Coach, I appreciate you reaching out and letting me know ahead of time.’ … They were always appreciative of the communication.”
The players were told that both sides felt the Steelers provided the best opportunity for Fields to be successful.
“They understand there is a business part to it,” Poles said. “Just because you trade someone, it doesn’t mean you don’t like them or appreciate them. We thought it was the best move for where we’re at.”
He arrived in Chicago at the worst possible time. The current regime was on the hot seat. They needed a home run at quarterback. Unfortunately, they also had an aging roster with serious depth concerns. When Fields failed to excel right away, it set the tone for what was to follow. Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace were fired. Poles and Eberflus came in. Immediately, they recognized the serious issues with the roster and made the difficult decision to hit the reset button. They worked hard to reload quickly, giving Fields better protection and weapons by the start of 2023.
Sadly, it wasn’t enough. His progress as a passer was too slow. When the Bears came away with the #1 pick in the 2024 draft, that sealed his fate. Poles knew he could reset the contract clock, allowing him to continue building the roster towards what he hopes is a championship level without having to navigate a tight salary cap. Justin Fields will get a chance to reboot his career with an organization that likes him and is willing to be patient with his development.
Any ideas of a locker room mutiny appear to have been avoided.
