Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields has raised eyebrows with his unyielding confidence ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
Despite his short and relatively unproven career to this point, Fields firmly believes he belongs in the elite ranks of the five-best running quarterbacks in league history.
His assertion came during a conversation with CBS Sports’ Bryant McFadden on the “All Things Covered” podcast, where he was asked to rank his top-five quarterbacks when it comes to running abilities.
Not hesitating, Fields promptly included himself in the list. “Oh, I am,” he confidently responded to McFadden. “Because I definitely think I am…I’m definitely in the top five.”
"I'm definitely in the top 5." 👀👀@justnfields lists his top 5 running QBs in NFL history (@atcoveredpod) pic.twitter.com/H0Ixz7MRTL
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) July 18, 2023
The 24-year-old quarterback placed himself in esteemed company alongside the likes of Michael Vick, Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, and Steve Young. However, Fields did not specify the order in which he ranked the players.
Considering Fields’ limited experience and a poor 5-20 career record in the NFL, some might perceive his inclusion among these names as audacious.
Vick boasts the highest career rushing yards for any quarterback in the league’s history. Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson have both been honored with MVP awards for their exceptional performances on the field. Meanwhile, Steve Young, a Hall of Famer, is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.
It’s important to note that the question posed to Fields by McFadden solely pertained to running ability, and the young quarterback has already demonstrated immense promise in this aspect of his game.
During his first season as the Bears full-time starter in 2022, Fields showcased his running prowess, accumulating an impressive 1,143 rushing yards – making it the second-highest total by a quarterback in a single season.
Only Lamar Jackson’s 1,206 rushing yards in his MVP-winning 2019 campaign surpass Fields’ feat.
His speed and agility were on full display throughout the season, leading all players with an astounding average of 7.1 yards per carry. Additionally, he etched his name in the record books by amassing 178 rushing yards in a game against the Miami Dolphins, setting a new single-game benchmark.
You gotta love the confidence. However, is Fields really a top five rushing quarterback of all-time?
Even if you project his future, do you think he’ll end up going down in such elite class?