Bears' Poles Jokes He Wished Justin Fields 'Was a Jerk'
Justin Fields' infectious positivity and relentless work ethic presented a unique challenge for Chicago Bears' general manager, Ryan Poles, when considering trading away the talented quarterback.
In a light-hearted remark to The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain, Poles admitted that dealing with Fields would have been easier if he had been less likable, quipping that he almost wished Fields "was a jerk" to alleviate his internal conflict.
However, Poles couldn't ignore Fields' exceptional character, dedication, and resilience. "But he's such a good dude who worked his butt off," Poles remarked. "Was a great teammate, great in the locker room, handled the ups and downs really well. So it's really hard to move on from guys that you like personally."
In February, Poles emphasized his commitment to doing right by Fields as he assessed the quarterback's future. True to his word, Poles traded Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a move that signals a short-term solution with the signing of Russell Wilson. Yet, the door remains open for Fields to take the reins in Pittsburgh, especially considering Wilson's temporary status and uncertain grip on the starting position.
Reflecting on the decision, Poles acknowledged the internal conflict inherent in trading away a player like Fields. He recognized that such decisions may become more frequent as the Bears strive for success. "Those decisions will continue to come with success," he admitted. "Again, you get to a point where a quarterback starts taking up a lot of cap space or you have a better team that does like, you can't keep everybody."
| POLL | ||
2 AVRIL | 57 ANSWERS Bears' Poles Jokes He Wished Justin Fields 'Was a Jerk' Do you think a player's personality and work ethic should influence a team's decision to trade them? | ||
| Yes | 53 | 93 % |
| No | 4 | 7 % |
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