(670 The Score) Comparing quarterbacks can be a dangerous game –there’s not a lot to gain from it, unless you’re a mid-morning sports debate show. Comparing quarterbacks to the Chiefs’ Pat Mahomes is especially dangerous because he’s, well, Pat Mahomes, and any other quarterback is, well, not.
With that being said, Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields was always going to get the Mahomes comparisons, for all the obvious reasons. They both come from families full of incredible athletes, played at the highest level of college football and started their NFL careers under the watchful eye of Matt Nagy. Expecting Fields to replicate Mahomes’ career note by note is how hearts – and spirits – are broken, but even Nagy admitted that he sees more than a few similarities between the two quarterbacks.
“I would say Patrick, at this point of time in vet minicamp, to where Justin is, is very similar, which is great” Nagy said. “Their personalities, football-wise, football IQ, all of that stuff is very similar, on that side. Their actual personalities are a little bit different, but that's the beauty of life. We all have different personalities.”
While they weren’t quite the Mahomesian-level throws that everyone is already used to seeing, Fields continued his impressive NFL start (if you can even call it that yet) with a handful of flashy plays during veteran minicamp Wednesday. One play in particular -- in which Fields rolled out to the left, threw across his body and placed the ball perfectly into the hands of receiver Thomas Ives on the sidelines -- elicited more than a couple excited "oohs" from coaches and teammates.
“I thought today was a good day for him,” Nagy said. “He threw the ball well. There were a couple of series there in a row in team where he made some nice throws to the sidelines. He had one where he kind of kept a play extended, backpedaled and threw a nice ball to the left to Thomas Ives. Today was a good day, and we want to keep stacking those good days up, both mentally and physically. I haven't watched the tape yet, so there will be some stuff that shows up, but from my perspective I thought it was pretty good.”
When asked about the comparison after the session, Nagy admitted that one advantage Fields had on Mahomes was a bevy of experience in big college football games. He talked at length about how those moments have shaped Fields and how they’re already paying dividends at the next level. For example, coaches have rarely, if ever, seen Fields get flustered yet – even when play calls have to be repeated several times in the huddle or break down on the field shortly after. Nagy even quipped that he thinks Fields’ constant stoicism would make him a great poker player.
“And that’s a good thing ... there’s a lot of bad that can go on in this game, like sports in general," Nagy said. "And I think the great athletes are the ones that can respond from adversity, and they can play a poor hand well. That’s what we want all these guys to do.
“And I just think right now, for Justin, the biggest thing is to make sure that he’s continuing to just really listen and just get better. And probably just keep asking the right question. And I think he’s doing more and more of that as he feels comfortable.”
Cam Ellis is a writer for 670 The Score and Audacy Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KingsleyEllis.