Justin Fields aims pointed dig at Chicago Bears with 'not close' comparison

Justin Fields has enjoyed a flying start with the Pittsburgh Steelers and has fired back at the Chicago Bears after being pushed out of the organization in the offseason.

Fields, a first-round pick in 2021, had three turbulent seasons with the Bears. His time with the franchise came to an end as a result of the Carolina Panthers' blockbuster trade to climb to the top of the draft board in 2023 to select Bryce Young – a move which has, so far, been disastrous.

The Panthers finished with the worst record in the league last season, but the No. 1 overall pick went to Chicago as part of the Young trade put the Bears in a position to select prodigious QB talent Caleb Williams – signaling the end of Fields' time in the Windy City.

He was sent to the Steelers a month before the draft for a conditional sixth-round pick that could increase to a fourth-rounder depending on his playing time this season, and the move has worked out perfectly for the former Ohio State star so far.

Fields has led Pittsburgh to a 3-0 start, making decisive contributions as a passer and a runner. The 25-year-old was a guest on Steelers teammate Cam Heyward's "Not Just Football" podcast after the Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and he was asked which franchise has better coaching.

“Pittsburgh. It’s not close," he said in a brutal dig at Bears head coach Matt Eberflus and his staff, while praising the work of longtime Steelers HC Mike Tomlin and his crew. The Bears are 1-2 through the opening three weeks, with Williams working through the inevitable growing pains as a rookie quarterback.

Fields, however, insists he holds no bad feelings towards the Bears over how his time with the franchise played out. He added: "I kinda had a feeling I was going to get traded. You know, after the season, you have to go to exit meetings. They kept it pretty brief, they said, ‘Tricky situation right here. A situation that we’ve never been in.’

"It’s two different conversations when you’re in the same situation [having the No. 1 pick in the draft]. You kinda get the feeling of what’s going to happen.

“At that point, it’s just training and, shoot, just wondering where you’re going to go. They didn’t do me too bad by letting me choose where I want to be. I’m just glad I was able to end up here.”

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A feature of Fields' play with Pittsburgh thus far has been his security with the football. Although he has just two passing touchdowns to his name, he has completed more than 73 per cent of his passes, with a passer rating of 95. He has just one turnover through three games, too, with no lost fumbles – a major problem throughout his time at Soldier Field.

Fields, who profited from a preseason injury to Russell Wilson, has surely secured the starting role for the foreseeable future, and he hopes to build on his impressive start to the season when the Steelers travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to face the Indianapolis Colts (1-2) on Sunday.