Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields certainly isn't lacking confidence ahead of the 2023 NFL season, Just two years after being drafted by the Bears, Justin Fields believes he's one of the five-best running quarterbacks in league history.
Fields was asked by CBS Sports' Bryant McFadden to rank his top-five quarterbacks in regard to running. When McFadden told Fields that he could put himself on the list, the Bears' signal caller didn't hesitate to do so.
“Oh, I am,” Fields told McFadden on the “All Things Covered” podcast. “Because I definitely. think I am…I'm definitely in the top five.”
Fields put himself on a list comprised of Michael Vick, Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson and Steve Young. The Bears' quarterback didn't rank the players in any particular order.
Given his lack of experience and success at the NFL level—Fields has a 5-20 career record—it might seem quite bold for the 24-year-old to group himself with those names. Vick has the most career rushing yards by any quarterback. Newton and Jackson have won MVP awards. Young is a Hall of Famer and the best player on the list.
The question had nothing to do with the ability to pass, and Fields is on track to go down as one of the greatest running quarterbacks of all time. Fields ran for 1,143 yards in the 2022 season, his first year as the Bears' full-time starter. It was the second-most rushing yards by any quarterback in a single season. Only Jackson ran for more, setting the record with 1,206 rushing yards in his 2019 MVP campaign.
Fields led all players with 7.1 yards per carry. He set the single-game record for quarterbacks by totaling 178 rushing yards against the Miami Dolphins in a game last November.