The Chicago Bears interrupted St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the city with massive news: They traded Justin Fields to the Steelers, effectively locking in Caleb Williams as the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
To say Bears fans were torn would be an understatement. On one hand, they mostly liked Justin Fields the human and quarterback. So there was sadness at his departure.
On the other hand, they mostly recognize that Williams is a can't-miss prospect in the draft. So there was excitement at the future, and relief at some clarity after months of speculation.
Bears fans wish Justin Fields well with the Steelers
I wish things had gone differently for Justin Fields. The Bears failed him. I’m rooting for him in Pittsburgh. But Caleb Williams is the future and I’m happy we can stop with all the turmoil and move forward #InPolesWeTrust
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 16, 2024
I'll always be a Justin Fields fan. I hope it works out for him in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/2kihFb3NeT
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) March 16, 2024
Thank You Justin Fields, for giving everything you had to the City of Chicago and the most passionate fanbase in the NFL 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/bJb9Z5pzkf
— Sadeek 🪐 (@SadeekNextWave) March 16, 2024
Justin Fields gave Bears fans excitement at QB that Chicago really hasn't had in my lifetime. He was fun, tough as hell, and endured circumstances early on that very few young QBs could've overcome.
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) March 16, 2024
This was also the right move every single time.
The night Fields was drafted here was genuinely one of the happiest moments of my Bears fandom. Just screaming and jumping up and down in pure elation.
— DaWindyCity Productions (@dwcprodz) March 16, 2024
Wasn’t meant to be here in Chicago but I’m always going to rooting for him. Dude showed nothing but absolute class even though… pic.twitter.com/lCzX00MlN7
Fields and his potential brought a renewed sense of hope in Chicago. It felt like the team was getting a steal when he fell to No. 11 in 2021. And he had plenty of promising games for the team, even if the overall performance of the offense was too often lacking under his command.
Now, it's on to a new quarterback.
Caleb Williams is a Bear and that's cause for celebration
ITS OVERRRRRR
— Max Markham (@MaxMarkhamNFL) March 16, 2024
CALEB WILLIAMS WELCOME TO CHICAGO https://t.co/WYX2jotZ1m
Caleb Williams is a bear pic.twitter.com/R0Vv7WduqM
— Austin F (@BadTakeFuges) March 16, 2024
GET READY TO LEARN PORTILLOS CALEB WILLIAMS pic.twitter.com/Y6JovmJVKg
— 🅱️🚂 (@b_cowell34) March 16, 2024
Williams is the presumptive No. 1 pick, though hiccups in the draft process could still have Chicago look at other prospects like Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. That would be an unexpected turn of events though.
While Bears fans could certainly celebrate their good fortune at getting to select a quarterback of Williams' ability, the rest of the NFL, particularly Steelers fans, were having a good time laughing at Chicago's inability to get much of anything back for Fields.
NFL Twitter roasts Bears for paltry trade return for Justin Fields
Bears fans realizing that Josh Rosen fetched a higher pick than Justin Fields https://t.co/dtTccKBYOg pic.twitter.com/pJQenPecMT
— Blake Allen Murphy (@blakemurphy7) March 16, 2024
A 2025 6th round pick that potentially turns into a 4th for Justin Fields? MY GAWD, the Chicago Bears completely mismanaged the Justin Fields trade market this offseason.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) March 16, 2024
Bears fans spent years telling us Justin Fields was the next Warren Moon. Instead he got traded for a 6TH ROUNDER pic.twitter.com/Q6Wp6zngvL
— Art Vandelay (@KingFavre) March 16, 2024
Omar Khan was patient. He sat back. He waited. He waited. HE FKN WAITED. And then he ROBBED the Bears!
— Kevin Adams (@KevinAdams26) March 16, 2024
Hahahahhahahahahah.
LFGGGGGG
the bears have essentially sent justin fields & joey porter jr. to the steelers for chase claypool & a conditional sixth round pick
— matt (@yinzzzerr) March 16, 2024
hahahahaha omar khan you’re my god
There's no doubt the Bears would have hoped for a whole lot more in terms of trade return for Fields. He was a first-half-of-the-first-round pick just two years ago. Getting a mere future sixth-rounder for him (at best an unlikely fourth) is not good business, no matter how you spin it.