Justin Fields may come across as even-keel and soft-spoken in interviews. Don’t be fooled. The young man is way smarter than he looks. He’s also way more vocal. When it comes to leadership, Fields seems to understand his responsibilities a lot more than somebody of his age typically would. He engages teammates all the time, seeing where their heads are at. He’ll direct them when adjustments are needed and pick them up when things aren’t going well.
That was never clearer than after what happened Sunday night in Green Bay. Fellow rookie Teven Jenkins, having just returned from Injured Reserve off back surgery, got thrown into the fire against the Packers after Jason Peters suffered a high ankle sprain. It wasn’t an enviable spot. The 2nd round pick battled but didn’t play overly well. He had four penalties and gave up two sacks. It would be so easy for a young player to get down on himself after that. Fields didn’t allow that to happen. How?
By reminding his teammate how bad his own first start went.
This is what makes the young quarterback so intriguing. The talent by itself is great. Yet it’s his sharp intellect that people seem to miss. Not only is that a funny line that is certain to generate laughs, but it’s also true. Justin Fields was a disaster in Cleveland, taking nine sacks and managing one net passing yard. He seems to have rebounded quite well since then. If he can do it, why can’t Jenkins?
By the sound of things, the big tackle took that advice to heart. He’s been hard at work this week preparing for the Minnesota Vikings. Monday night will be his first official start in the NFL. No doubt he is hoping to make a much better impression than he did last week. If he continues to employ this kind of mindset, he should be fine. Having Fields as a leader should only make the hard work that much easier for him.
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