The future of Chicago sports success rests clearly on the shoulders of Justin Fields and Connor Bedard. Fields is the 3rd-year quarterback of the Chicago Bears who has flashed his considerable talent during the first two years of his career but has yet to find consistency. Bedard is the No. 1 draft pick in the NHL and the Chicago Blackhawks are pinning their future on him.

As these two men will go, their teams are sure to follow. The Blackhawks were the team of the last decade in Chicago, or at least the team of the first half of it when they won three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. However, they have struggled badly since their last championship, losing games and much of their legacy after a sexual assault scandal involved some of their most prominent executives.

The Bears are the city's heart and soul because Chicago is a football town. Ardent Cubs and White Sox supporters may want to debate that and take up baseball's cause, but those two teams divide the city's loyalties and neither one can come close to the Bears in terms of popularity.

Bedard and Fields offer incredible skill sets

Even if Bedard does turn out to be a star who can meet or exceed what Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews did, he is not going to top current NHL leader and Most Valuable Player Connor McDavid. Nor will he touch all-time NHL heroes Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr or Mario Lemieux.

However, many observers believe that he will be able to lead the Blackhawks back to a championship level because of his dynamic shooting skill and his remarkable skating. He won't be able to do it on his own, but hecan get there if general manager Kyle Davidson delivers a winning supporting cast to the Windy City.

Fields has demonstrated what he can do as an athlete during his first 2 seasons with the Bears, and that has manifested itself in his shocking ability to run with the football. Fields ran for 1,143 yards on 160 carries last season, averaging a league-best 7.1 yards per carry and scoring 8 touchdowns. In addition to scrambling away from the pass rush, Fields succeeded like few other quarterbacks on designed runs. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is considered a brilliant runner, but he is not as fast as Fields.

The Bears quarterback has had just limited success throwing the football to this point in his career, and much of that is due to a significant lack of talent at the wide receiver position. Fields has shown excellent arm strength and the ability to succeed with some of his deep throws, but he has not been consistent on his short- and medium-range throws.

That could change this season as the Bears have added potential stars in wideout D.J. Moore and tight end Robert Tonyan. Moore came in a trade with the Carolina Panthers that involved the No. 1 pick in last spring's draft, while Tonyan was a consistent playmaker for the Green Bay Packers.

If those two play as advertised and the offensive line steps up, Fields has every chance to show he can join the ranks of the NFL's upper-echelon quarterbacks.

Popularity in the City

In addition to his skills on the football field, Justin Fields has demonstrated perseverance off the field because he has battled epilepsy since the age of 9. It is a condition he inherited from his mother, Gina Tobey.

Because of his own medical hardship, Fields has gone out of his way to reach out to a young, hospitalized Chicago Bears fan by sending her a personalized video message and an autographed football.

Fields has shown his devotion to the Chicago community is a motivating factor, just as he is committed to helping the Bears get to the top.

Connor Bedard has been an icon in Canada since his early teenage years, and the 17-year-old has idolized Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. In addition to what Crosby has done on the ice, his humble attitude has provided Bedard with road map to follow.

“[Crosby is] just incredible,” Bedard said. “You see him with kids, you see him with the media, and he never really makes a mistake. He carries himself so well, always. There's a humbleness to him. He doesn't love talking about himself. He always tries to involve his teammates, involve people that have helped him.”

That is just what Bedard will attempt to do, and it will endear him to Chicago's appreciative fans.

Fields and Bedard are clearly the sports stars who will lead the way for the Bears and Blackhawks. Both look like the real deal who will be able to reach great heights — and take their teammates with them.