After spending his first three NFL seasons with the Chicago Bears, Justin Fields was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 sixth-round pick that could become a fourth-round selection, depending on his playing time.
Many were surprised by the lack of return that the Chicago Bears got for Fields, considering he was a top lottery pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, including Robert Griffin III. With that said, the former NFL quarterback now-turned-NFL analyst has offered sage advice for the former Ohio State signal-caller.
Robert Griffin III called the Justin Fields trade before it happened
“The return the Chicago Bears got for trading Justin Fields sent a CLEAR MESSAGE. The NFL just told Justin Fields they don’t think he is good enough to get the job done. I believe he is. The NFL is a business, but he should take it personal,” wrote Robert Griffin III on his X (formerly known as Twitter).
With Fields now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he will serve as the backup quarterback behind Russell Wilson, who is expected to be the starter after he was recently acquired via a one-year deal.
When Kenny Pickett was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, Robert Griffin III said that the Pittsburgh Steelers should trade for Justin Fields since he believed that the 25-year-old quarterback would benefit from being Russell Wilson’s understudy.
“With Kenny Pickett being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, now the perfect spot for Justin Fields is in Pittsburgh if the Chicago Bears trade him,” RGIII tweeted. “Compete with and sit behind Russ for a year, get a reset, and be their dynamic QB of the future.”
Justin Fields and his camp wanted the move to Pittsburgh
According to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport, other than the Pittsburgh Steelers, at least four additional teams inquired about trading for Justin Fields. However, his agents wanted their client to go to Pittsburgh, and Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles made good on his promise to do right by the former Ohio State star.
The Russell Wilson acquisition played a role in why this is so since Fields once said that he modeled his game after Wilson.
“I would say when I was younger, like maybe eighth, ninth grade, it was more Cam Newton. But I would say these past couple years I’ve kind of turned more to a Russell Wilson-type quarterback,” Fields said during his 2021 NFL Draft interview.
