Since being selected 11th overall in 2021 by the Chicago Bears, QB Justin Fields has had a very up-and-down career. At times, he has shown the heights of his talent, but for the most part, it has been disappointing. When the New York Jets signed him last offseason, the hope was that he could reach his potential and be the team’s next franchise QB.
Instead, Fields was not good, and on a bad team, it looked horrible. His time in New York was numbered, and the Kansas City Chiefs confirmed that by trading for Fields to be their backup QB.
Former NFL QB Chase Daniel Gives a Comparison That Could Show Why the Chiefs Made This Move
In this deal, the Chiefs sent the New York Jets a future 6th-round pick to get it done. For both the Chiefs and Fields, this trade is excellent for their short and long-term plans.
Fields has so much potential, and sitting behind Patrick Mahomes, while also learning from Andy Reid, could do wonders for his potential. Then, for the Chiefs, he can play right away if Mahomes is out with his injury, and Fields could be a trade piece if they end up signing him past this offseason.
Reid has a history of coaching very athletic QBs, such as Michael Vick with the Philadelphia Eagles, and former NFL QB Chase Daniel believes this could be a great thing for Fields:
“He’s (Fields) been on four different teams in four years, but this will be his first time with an offensive head coach. Do you remember what Andy Reid did with Mike Vick? I’m not saying that’s gonna happen, but you can turn your career around.”
I DID NOT see this Justin Fields trade coming but it’s a huge deal for the Chiefs… pic.twitter.com/t6y79R24in
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) March 16, 2026
In 2009, Vick was signed by the Eagles on a cheap 1-year contract and then sat behind Donovan McNabb. It was in 2010 when Vick became the starter, and the former first overall pick had the best year of his career, finishing 3rd overall in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric. Before then, there was a slim chance Vick could ever be a starter again in the NFL, but partnered with Reid, he was a star.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
Fields, also a high draft pick, has the chance to follow a similar development path and reach the potential many believe he can achieve. As Daniel says, Reid has a history of QB development, and now, Fields can learn, which could result in him becoming a starter in the future.
