Hall of Famer Has Major Warning for Bears QB Justin Fields

Justin Fields game speed
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Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears calls the signals during a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.

Shannon Sharpe has a warning of sorts for Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields. After a successful debut in his first preseason game, the Bears rookie QB spoke to the media afterward, and many fans and analysts caught on to one particular quote.

Sharpe, who was a four-time All-Pro and a three-time Super Bowl winner when he played, knows more than most about the speed of the game, as well as the adjustments players have to make to get to that next level in the NFL. When the Hall of Fame tight end and current Fox Sports analyst heard a snippet of something Fields said, he offered some unsolicited advice to the Bears rookie.

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Sharpe to Fields: Just Wait Until Defenses Start Scheming for You

After a wobbly start that saw him almost turn the ball over to the Miami Dolphins’ defense, Fields settled in, going 14-20 for 142 yards and two total touchdowns (and a 106.7 passer rating) in seven possessions. After his first preseason game, the rook was asked what it was like playing in the NFL and how he has adjusted to the speed of the league. Fields said this:

“It was actually kind of slow to me to be honest. I think I was expecting it to be a little bit faster, but practicing, game speed, going at it with my teammates every day and of course we have a great defense, so me going against them every day, it definitely slowed the game up a little bit for me. I felt comfortable out there and of course I have room to grow so I’m going to try to get better each and every day.”

Fields has been humble and gracious since being drafted, and he was clearly giving a shout out to his defense in addition to commenting on his comfort level, but several fans and analysts took the comment out of context, assuming Fields was being a braggart.

Sharpe didn’t accuse Fields of being cocky or having an attitude, but he did offer an opinion and a mild warning. Retweeting the Sporting News, who wrote: “Justin Fields is already adjusted to the speed of the NFL,” Sharpe responded by saying: “No he hasn’t, wait until defenses start scheming.”

Sharpe did say he felt Fields “looked very good” once he calmed down, however.

In a sense, Sharpe is stating the obvious — of course defenses are going to game plan around stopping Fields. But knowing how hard the 22-year-old quarterback is said to be working, Fields will likely make an effort to prepare for that fact, as well — and he’ll also be planning ways to attack defenses and their weaknesses. If some teams manage to take his legs away, his arm strength and accuracy are both very real, so it’s likely Fields will be able to learn and grow as defenses scheme.

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Fields Not Satisfied After Solid Debut

One good sign early on with Fields is that he always seems to be working and striving for improvement.

“I think we definitely have to work on our cadences more, and of course, we have to get better in all subjects,” Fields said after the game. “We had a great game today but of course there’s always room to improve. Myself and my teammates, I know we are going to get back to work Monday and just get back at.”

The rookie QB has been dealing with criticism and skepticism for a while now, and he seems quite adept at tuning out the noise and focusing on football.

“For me, I think every day matters and I’m literally trying to take it day-by-day and literally get better every day, because I know it’s a nonstop grind. And I’m just going to continue to study and continue to work.”

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Hall of Famer Has Major Warning for Bears QB Justin Fields

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