Justin Fields is coming off arguably the ugliest performance of his young NFL career and has been mercilessly criticized online. However, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith isn’t quick to blame the quarterback. Instead, he’s pointing the finger at the Bears as an organization.
“I’mma tell you what I see in Justin Fields. I see somebody that’s not being developed. I see somebody that’s not growing, and more importantly, I see apathy kicking in, if not despondency,” Smith said on First Take on Monday. “He knows what kind of situation he’s in. He doesn’t want to be there, and I don’t blame him one bit.”
"I can't look at Justin Fields with that talent and say that's him. ... If this brother was in another organization he wouldn't look like this."@stephenasmith says the Bears are a "bad, bad situation" for Justin Fields 😳 pic.twitter.com/pwHA0safk5
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 18, 2023
Smith added that it’s his opinion, and admitted he’s done no reporting to back up his take. But Fields’s struggles are becoming more and more concerning for a franchise looking at him to be its leader. Chicago has started the season 0–2 after Sunday’s 27–17 loss to the Buccaneers, in which Fields threw a pick-six that essentially sealed the defeat. He finished with two interceptions and 211 passing yards.
Despite Fields’s performance and Chicago’s offseason upgrades on both sides of the ball, Smith is convinced the Bears aren’t doing Fields any favors.
“It is a bad, bad situation from the top on down,” Smith continued. “He has no help whatsoever.”
