Justin Fields’ first year with Bears helped him land new gig with Chiefs

PHOENIX — Justin Fields’ first year with the Bears helped get him his latest job.

Speaking at the NFL’s annual meeting Tuesday, coach Andy Reid said the Chiefs traded for Fields in part because of his experience in then-coach Matt Nagy’s system. Fields played his rookie season in 2021 under Nagy before the Bears fired him.

Fields will serve as insurance in case star quarterback Patrick Mahomes can’t recover from his torn left anterior cruciate ligament in time to start the season.

“Not only do we like [Fields] as a player, but he was also in this offense as a rookie with Matt Nagy,” Reid said. “So it’s not going to be completely foreign to him.

“I look forward to getting him in here, for the most part because he’s a good player. And if Pat can’t go for whatever reason, you’ve got a legitimate guy in there who can play and win games for you.”

He later said Fields was “more than a gadget guy.”

Nagy, who runs a version of Reid’s offense, was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator for the last three seasons. He was picked as the Giants’ offensive coordinator in February after Reid hired Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy as coordinator. Reid calls the plays.

The Bears traded Fields, their 2021 first-round pick, to the Steelers two years ago. He went 4-2 as the starter before being replaced by Russell Wilson. The Jets signed Fields last offseason and made him the starter, and he went 2-7. The Chiefs traded for him two weeks ago, giving up a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Mahomes is spending about seven hours per day rehabbing inside the Chiefs’ facility. Reid said that Mahomes is progressing well and that he “wouldn’t bet against him” beginning the season under center.