Justin Fields shares his true impressions of Caleb Williams after QB’s first encounter with Bears rookie
Justin Fields was replaced by Caleb Williams as the Chicago Bears starting quarterback after spending three seasons playing on Soldier Field. The still-young QB landed in Pittsburgh to have a fresh start, which has been a terrific move after the first three weeks of the NFL season. During a recent conversation with Cam Heyward on his “Not Just Football” podcast, Fields talked about the first time he met Williams.

Contrary to what many might have believed, they first met when Fields was in high school and Fields believed that Williams and JJ McCarthy were the best players he saw at the time.

“The first time I met him he was in high school at the Elite 11. He was light and day better than everybody else. The arm was like, it was no comparison. Him and JJ McCarthy were the best two when I went there and went to go see him in Nashville,” Fields explained.
Several years later, their careers were linked as the Bears traded Fields to the Steelers to make room for Williams. The season has had two different starts for each player. Fields is 3-0 after stepping in to replace the original starter, Russell Wilson, while Williams is 1-2 and still trying to figure out the league.

The years of experience play a role in their different realities, but Fields credited something else about his early success with the Steelers.

Justin Fields gets honest about differences between Steelers and Bears coaching staffs
Besides discussing the first time he met Caleb Williams, Justin Fields got candid about the differences between the Steelers and Bears coaching staffs, picking his new coaches over the old ones with a short but direct message.

“Pittsburgh,” Fields said. “It’s not close.” [1:09:30]

Justin Fields was selected as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, but his partnership with the Bears never materialized in a playoff appearance, even after wide receiver DJ Moore was added. Fields was ultimately traded to the Steelers in the offseason, where he landed to compete for the starting spot with Russell Wilson.

After Wilson was named the starting quarterback, he suffered a calf injury right before the start of the season, which opened the door for Fields.

He’s taken the Steelers to a 3-0 record after completing 73.3% of his pass attempts, tallying 518 passing yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, he’s recorded 90 rushing yards and a touchdown. Fields has been remarkably improved from his time in Chicago and he looks pretty comfortable in Pittsburgh.