On the surface, Justin Fields is always cool, calm, and collected. Up big or down by a lot, he’s the same guy. But analyzing Fields, the player, and the person, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms thinks Fields is being driven by all the doubt he’s been hit with since being drafted.
Reviewing Fields’ third win as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, Simms says he’s shutting the critics up.
“He continues to get better and better in all areas,” Simms told co-host Ahmed Fareed. “I think he’s a highly motivated tough kid who’s trying to prove the world wrong and do that as well. He always competes at a high level. I’ve always loved that about him. He’s got a toughness and never-say-attitude that I really do respect.”
Fields has probably had a chip on his shoulder since draft night. Viewed as a potential Top-5 pick, he “fell” to 11th overall to the Chicago Bears. That night, there was even some chatter that Pittsburgh could make a move for Fields or take him if he somehow fell to No. 24.
Things rarely went right in Chicago. Fields was thrust into the lineup early in his career on a rebuilding roster that lacked offensive talent for his first 18 months there. The team lost, head coach Matt Nagy got fired, and a new regime came in. As the face of the franchise struggling to turn the team’s fortunes around, Fields took plenty of heat in the intense Chicago media for his play.
With the Bears holding the No. 1 pick of this year’s draft, they jumped at the chance to draft USC’s Caleb Williams, shipping Fields away. He had a light trade market with no one viewing him as an obvious starter, fetching a conditional Day Three pick in next year’s draft.
Even Pittsburgh had doubts. Or at least reservations. He ran behind Russell Wilson during the spring and technically lost out on the job ahead of the season. Wilson was named the starter over Fields. It wasn’t until Wilson re-injured his calf 72 hours before the opener the door swung back open. With his strong play, he’s closed the door behind him and is set as the team’s starter, something Mike Tomlin could officially announce by Tuesday afternoon.
