Where were you the night of April 29, 2021 when Carlos Nelson read those words and lit a spark in a fanbase whose flame had slowly petered out, parallelling the team's lack of success in the seasons following 2018?

I recall sitting in my apartment, switching my focus between the laptop where some friends and I were on a zoom call, and the TV that took up a disroportionate area of my undersized living space. Excitement levels began to register with the announcement that the Bears had traded from 20 to 11 with the New York Giants, increasing evermore when the panelists, in chorus, rang out, "Oh this has to be quarterback here," and finally spiking with the announcement, and those ensuing dreams of having finally secured a franchise quarterback. Well Bears fans, you're not dreaming. Justin Fields is here to stay.

OTAs have provided a wealth of quotes that have me ready to fast forward to the September 10th matchup with Green Bay. While Jordan Love's Father's Day faux pas is grabbing headlines (did he learn anything shadowing Aaron Rodgers if he can't effectively trash talk?), I'll stick to comments surrounding a proven QB1.

You'll never have a shortage of encouraging quotes from teammates; however, it's worth noting that second-year Safety Jaquan Brisker, who's seen plenty of Fields in practice, stated, "He's looking very smooth, making good decisions out there, and looking like the best quarterback in the NFL." There's a certain obligation to "gas up" your guy when providing a soundbite or quote. The national media has no such obligation, so what are they saying?

Several reports have stated that Fields is "miles ahead" of where he was last offseason. An NFL scout recently disclosed he would be "shocked" if Fields isn't an MVP candidate. Jeremy Fowler, of ESPN, reported, "The people I've spoken to out of Chicago say that Justin Fields is 'slingin' it this offseason and that he's had a nice command of the Bears offense. He's changing plays at the line of scrimmage and feels good about taking ownership of things."

There has never been this much positive energy around a Bears quarterback, whether within the fanbase or in local or national media, so hesitation is warranted. "Talk is cheap," "the proof is in the pudding," and a myriad of other euphemisms describe where we are in terms of knowing the impact Fields will have this season, but I don't think I'm alone in feeling as excited as I was the night Chicago drafted him.  I haven't anticipated the start of a season like this many times throughout my years as a Bears fan, certainly not in the last four years, and it's all due to the improvement of QB1 and the investment in tools to support him. 

There are certainly plenty of Fields haters, commonly referring to the third-year Quarterback as "a great running back." Stat-line watchers will point to his 192/318 for 2242 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and 60.4 rating and argue that he cannot pass. Would Bears fans like to see better passing numbers? Of course, but what's lost in the lack of nuance from not watching Fields play is all the times he looks to be a passer first and ends up tucking to run. The 318 pass attempts do not capture all of the pass plays that Fields had to houdini out of, which ultimately led to some of his most explosive plays. While also professionals, the quality of route-runners at Fields' disposal in 2022 cannot be overlooked. The return of Darnell Mooney, the addition of D.J. Moore, and another offseason with Cole Kmet will certainly aid Fields in taking the next step as a passer this season. 2023 will be rife with spectacular Fields feats, both on the ground and in the air. 

April 29, 2021 was the catalyst for the impending change to the landscape of the "Black and Blue" division. Justin Fields is a Chicago Bear, and he's going to fulfill Ryan Poles' promise to "..take the NFC North and never give it back." 

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