Ohio State’s Justin Fields and Alabama quarterback Mac Jones were one of the candidates being considered by Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers who owned the 3rd overall pick at the 2021 NFL Draft.

However, the Niners opted to pull off a surprise by selecting NDSU’s Trey Lance as the 3rd quarterback to be drafted behind Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Zach Wilson (New York Jets).

Detroit Lions (7th overall), Carolina Panthers (8th overall), and Denver Broncos (9th overall) were also on the lookout for a shot-caller. However, they all overlooked Fields and drafted players at other positions instead.

After Dallas Cowboys picked Micah Parsons at #10, it was time for New York Giants to pick at #11. But Chicago Bears traded up with the Giants from 20 to select Justin Fields as their 1st-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

They gave up their 2021 1st-round pick, 2022 1st-round pick, a 2022 4th-round pick, and a 5th-round pick for 2021 in exchange for Fields. But how exactly did this deal come to fruition?

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Here’s how Matt Nagy managed to snap up Ohio’s Justin Fields

Good Morning Football co-host Kyle Brandt is a self-proclaimed Chicago Bears supporter. On a recent segment of the hugely popular show, Brandt offered some insight into how HC Matt Nagy teamed up with OSU’s Ryan Day before moving in for Justin Fields.

He said, “A year ago. Matt Nagy is watching tape on the Ohio State prospects and he’s talking to Ryan Day about each of them what their strengths are and everything and before they hang up Nagy says, ‘By the way, you know, I know he’s not coming out, but tell me about this quarterback, tell me about Fields.’

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“And Ryan day says, ‘Dude, He’s incredible. He’s a once in a generation’. That sticks with Nagy all the way a year later after another year of college football for Justin Fields so much so that they sit down and he and they decide we got to go get him based on this relationship…it’s awesome how this thing comes together like this and there it is,” Brandt said on the show.

As seen above, Fields has already begun his off-field training ahead of the pre-season. He will compete against two veteran quarterbacks in Andy Dalton and Nick Foles for a starting spot in Chicago.

Coach Nagy knows that Fields has the potential to be a long-term solution at quarterback for the Bears. The question is, will he live up to expectations?

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