Ryan Poles: No one in Bears organization sees Justin Fields as a 'finger pointer'

Justin Fields, the beleagured Bears quarterback, created such a social media maelstrom with what he thought was a simple, honest interview that he needed to return and clarify what he said.

On Thursday, Chicago general manager Ryan Poles says the team doesn’t see Fields as a “finger pointer,” contrary to what the fans might think.

“No one in this building looks at Justin as a finger pointer at all,” Poles said at a Thursday press conference. “He’s a young QB trying to figure it out, hasn’t had the cleanest start to his career. Now he gets talent around him and he has to balance when to do those cool things athletically and when to lean on others.”

The Bears did have a tumultuous Wednesday. Justin Fields tried to explain what was happening with his game. And Chicago defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned, after missing last Sunday’s road game against the Bucs. Williams said he was doing so for “health reasons.”

But it was Justin Fields’ interview that blew up online. A reporter asked why his play looked so “robotic.” Fields’ answer suggested it was the coach’s fault.

“You know, could be coaching I think,” Justin Fields said. “At the end of the day, they are doing their job when they are giving me what to look at. But at the end of the day, I can’t be thinking about that when the game comes. I prepare myself throughout the week and then when the game comes, it’s time to play free at that point. Thinking less and playing more.”

Translation: Fields is thinking too much and not letting himself relax and react. So he offered a partial NSFW plan for this Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champs.

“My goal this week is just to say F it and go out there and play football how I know to play football,” Justin Fields said. “That includes thinking less and just going out there and playing off of instincts rather than so much say info in my head, data in my head. Just literally going out there and playing football. Going back to it’s a game and that’s it.

“That’s when I play my best, when I’m just out there playing free and being myself, so I’m going to say kind of bump all the what I should, this and that, pocket stuff. I’m going to go out there and be me.”

Fields probably is the best running quarterback in the NFL this side of Lamar Jackson. But he can’t even rely on that anymore. He ran for 59 yards in the season opener. But he ran four times for a net three yards against the Bucs.

Justin Fields following yesterday’s practice. pic.twitter.com/qW0lV4y1Lw

— Marquee Bears (@BearsMarquee) September 21, 2023

After Fields made the comments, he returned to the locker room area after practice to make sure reporters understood what he had attempted to say the first time. It wasn’t the coach’s fault. It was his. “I can play better. Point blank,” he said.

The Bears can solve a ton of their problems by winning a game. Chicago hasn’t a celebrated a victory since a week before Halloween, 2022. So bring on the Chiefs.