Mike Ditka obviously comes from a different era of NFL football. Especially as it pertains to coaching. However, he also has a unique perspective when it comes to developing 1st round quarterbacks. After all, he did it twice during his run with the Chicago Bears. First with Jim McMahon (drafted 5th overall in 1982) and again with Jim Harbaugh (drafted 27th overall in 1987). Both went on to have success in the pros.
So it’s only natural he’d be asked about the Bears’ current situation regarding head coach Matt Nagy and his handling of Justin Fields. Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports caught up with him. Everybody knows the situation by now. Nagy plans to bring the 11th overall pick along slowly. He will enter the 2021 season as the #2 quarterback on the depth chart. Andy Dalton will be the starter. Fields will sit back, learn, and continue to prepare until the coaches feel he’s ready.
Does Ditka agree? Not so much.
“Well, I don’t know why you’d draft the quarterback if your plans aren’t to play him. So if they feel they got a quarterback now that’s capable of being a successful NFL quarterback, then I understand, let him run. If not, put him on the field and let him learn.
“You learn by playing. You don’t learn by watching.”
Ditka employed that same approach with McMahon back in 1982. Predictably, the rookie had his struggles. However, McMahon also learned quickly and was playing some good football by the end of the strike-shortened season. In 1983, he took a huge step forward. Everybody remembers what happened after that. Ditka is hearing what Nagy says. While he likes the Bears coach and trusts his handling of the quarterback position? He also thinks he’ll ultimately end up going with Fields.
“I don’t think Matt needs any advice at all. He knows how to handle Fields and he’ll do a good job with him. I think he’s gonna be thrown in there but that’s OK, he’ll learn. We did that with McMahon and that worked out OK.”
The funny part about this is Ditka’s seen both sides of this argument. While it’s true he threw McMahon into the fire right away, he also ended up sitting Harbaugh for not one, not two, but three years before giving him the starting job in 1990. It may explain why he believes starting Fields now is the best course of action. All that time to prepare didn’t magically transform Harbaugh into a star. The quarterback went to the playoffs twice but had a 75.7 passer rating in his four years running the offense.
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Basically? If a quarterback has it, he’ll learn one way or the other.
Mike Ditka illustrates the truth of all this
There is no singular way to develop a quarterback. There have been successful ones who started immediately as a rookie. See Peyton Manning. Then there are those who were successful after sitting for a long period of time. See Aaron Rodgers. It ultimately comes down to what the coaching staff is most comfortable with. Nagy thinks Fields would benefit most from sitting behind Dalton for a period of time. Just like Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
Maybe Mike Ditka would’ve done the same with McMahon back in ’82 if he’d had a solid veteran like Dalton on the roster. He didn’t. His other options that year were Vince Evans and Bob Avellini. Neither can be considered on the same level in terms of career accomplishments with Dalton. It all comes down to options. Nagy would probably start Fields immediately if he felt there was no better option.
Such is not the case with Dalton.
He’s a better option right now. He has experience and a proven track record. Fields will be the better option eventually. Nagy wants to insulate him for as long as possible until the time is right. That may not be the Ditka way, but it is his way. Will he end up changing his mind. It is a long way before the regular season begins in September. Training camp and the preseason loom. Things can happen.
