(670 The Score) Long before it even seemed possible the Bears could land quarterback Justin Fields in the NFL Draft, general manager Ryan Pace believed in him.
Two years ago, Pace watched as Fields limped out of a medical tent and threw a 30-yard touchdown pass on his first play back, part of Ohio State's 56-27 rout of rival Michigan in Ann Arbor. In January, he saw Fields throw for 385 yards and six touchdowns with broken ribs in a national semifinal game. Pace didn't just see a two-time All-Big Ten quarterback in Fields but also a fiery competitor and a winner.
Pace was sold on Fields, even if selecting him didn't seem entirely plausible. So he called Giants general manager Dave Gettleman early Thursday and set up the framework for a trade up nine spots to the No. 11 pick -- Chicago would send New York its No. 20 overall pick, a 2022 first-round pick, its 2021 fifth-round slot and a 2022 fourth-round selection.
Pace was unsure of what would transpire, but when an unlikely scenario played out as Fields dropped out of the top 10, the Bears jumped at their opportunity, reaching the deal with the Giants and taking Fields at No. 11.
In retaining Pace for a seventh season as general manager, the Bears gave him another chance to solve their longstanding quarterback problem. They believe the 22-year-old Fields can bring a brighter future for a challenged franchise.
"It's the combinaton of factors that he has," Pace said late Thursday night after selecting Fields. "It's the arm talent. It's the accuracy. It's the athleticism. When you see a guy with that kind of arm talent, with that kind of quarterback makeup that he has, with that kind of work ethic, that's played in really big games and really big moments and performed in big moments.
"This guy's toughness on a scale of one to 10 is an 11. And you just love that about him. Oh, and by the way, he runs a 4.44. You throw that all in together and you just feel good."
The Bears sent offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly to Columbus to scout Fields' first pro day. When he elected to work out a second time for teams, Pace, coach Matt Nagy and director of player personnel Josh Lucas attended. They all felt the same conviction in Fields, a dynamic talent with a unique toughness.
Pace, Nagy and the Bears' scouting team recognized a player who possesses the talent to be a franchise quarterback -- and perhaps more importantly, they saw a person who can handle the pressure of playing this position in Chicago.
"Just the way I carry myself," Fields said of why he can be the answer in the Bears' search for a franchise quarterback. "Just the way I care about the game, the grit I have, the determination I have to be great.
"Everything inside of me, just wanting to be a great quarterback, wanting to be a franchise quarterback. I've been dreaming for this moment my whole life.
"All of those intangibles, my work ethic and all that together will of course be different for me."
Though the Bears were believers in Fields, they realized the difficulty of landing him in this draft. He was once considered the second-best quarterback in the class, then later projected as a top-five pick before falling out of the top 10 and being the fourth quarterback selected Thursday.
After the Jaguars took Clemson's Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 and the Jets took BYU's Zach Wilson at No. 2, the 49ers selected North Dakota State's Trey Lance at No. 3 instead of Fields or Alabama's Mac Jones. Three receivers, two cornerbacks, one tight end and one offensive tackle later, Fields was still on the board. Pace never had to dial up his contingency plan. He instead called Gettleman, who he has known for 20 years. Chicago was ready for Fields.
"I just feel real fortunate," Pace said.
Fields was a prized prospect from Kennesaw, Georgia, a town northwest of Atlanta, who arrived at the University of Georgia with major expectations. He was heralded in the documentary "QB1" and billed as the Bulldogs' next star but instead transferred to Ohio State after being relegated to Georgia's backup role. Fields emerged as a two-time all-Big Ten quarterback with the Buckeyes, throwing for 5,373 yards and 63 touchdowns across two seasons in which he led Ohio State to a 20-2 record as a starter.
Despite Fields' accomplished collegiate career, the Bears are planning for him to begin the season as the backup quarterback to veteran Andy Dalton. It's part of the lesson they learned four years ago when they selected Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2 overall but didn't have a clear succession plan for when he would take over as the starter.
At that time, Nagy was on a Chiefs staff that took a different approach than the Bears. Kansas City drafted Patrick Mahomes and prioritized his development early on, having him serve as the backup for his first NFL season. After failing with Trubisky, Pace and the Bears have a second chance with a new quarterback prospect.
Fields feels he can make believers in Chicago and be the quarterback this city has longed for.
"I know how much work I’ve put in the game," Fields said. "I know how much I love the game. I know how much I want to be great.
"I'm ready to get to work."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.