Justin Fields’ career with the Chicago Bears didn’t go the way many people expected it to, in part due to his own struggles but also because of the team’s unstable environment. Now, he has a chance with the Steelers to rewrite the narrative around him. Although he’s currently slotted as the backup behind Russell Wilson, he doesn’t seem afraid of the idea of competing for the starting job. It hasn’t been very often in NFL history that a backup quarterback has replaced the starter and gone on to forge a legacy of greatness, but arguably the greatest-ever backup turned starter recently had some words of wisdom for Fields.
Steve Young might be in the NFL Hall of Fame, but before he became Joe Montana’s successor with the San Francisco 49ers, he looked a lot like Fields does now. Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of a USFL supplemental draft in 1984, Young looked so bad that he was traded to the 49ers in 1987 for only second- and fourth-round picks. Then, he went on to replace the greatest quarterback ever at the time and lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl victory. In a recent interview with the radio show Rothman and Ice, Young was asked what advice he would give to Fields.
“Justin’s on a quest to tie up his legs and learn how to deliver the ball from the pocket. I think he overdid it in Chicago. I would’ve told him to do it a little bit at a time, but he really wants to be an elite quarterback,” Young said. “You just gotta continue that path and get on the field. You can’t not be on the field. I love Justin Fields, and I think he’s a great player.”
That certainly sounds like advice Young could’ve given his younger self as well. He was also a dynamic, mobile quarterback who probably needed to learn how to be more effective from the pocket before he could see real success. Fields’ biggest issue in Chicago was that he was too eager to scramble, often leading to taking sacks and missing plays. His mobility is one of his biggest strengths but also one of his biggest weaknesses.
In San Francisco, Young had the opportunity to closely watch Montana, and while they were part of one of the biggest quarterback controversies ever, it led to both players bringing their very best every day. Wilson isn’t Montana, and he isn’t a prolific pocket passer, but he has tools and knowledge that Fields can learn from.
However, it seems Young’s biggest piece of advice is to not back down from the competition. When Young got the opportunity to see the field while Montana was still with the 49ers, he took advantage of every second of it. He knows that’s how you win the battle, by proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that you can be the guy for your team. If Fields sees the field this year, he needs to show coaches why he should start over Wilson. The beginning of Young’s story mirrors Fields’. Now it’s up to Fields to write a similar ending and show the Bears why they shouldn’t have given up on him.
