Justin Fields Offends Bears Fans Saying, ‘They’re Not Putting in Any Work’
Chicago Bears fans have watched the Green Bay Packers smack their team around the field for years before Bears quarterback Justin Fields was even born. After the Packers ran roughshod over Fields’ team 27-10 on Sunday Night Football, though, the Chicago QB didn’t want to hear about how tough yet another loss to Green Bay was for the fans. And that attitude didn’t sit well with many die-hard Bears fans.
Justin Fields discounted Bears fans’ feelings after losing to the Packers yet again
The Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers rivalry is the oldest in the NFL (more on that below). Despite the relative evenness of the all-time series, recent years haven’t been kind to the Monsters of the Midway.
After last season’s “I still own you” game — when Aaron Rodgers trash-talked Bears fans directly – this year’s first edition of the “rivalry” game went just as poorly for Chicago.
The Bears held Aaron Rodgers and company to a field goal on their first drive and answered with a touchdown to go up 7-3. That was as good as it got for Justin Fields’ squad. From there, the Packers outscored the Bears 24-3 the rest of the way.
In Justin Fields’ postgame press conference, the young QB seemed to take umbrage at the notion that the loss was equally upsetting to Bears fans as it was to the players. Fields said:
It hurts more in the locker room than to Bears fans. I mean, because at the end of the day, they’re not putting in any work. I see the guys in the locker room every day. I see how much work they put in. So, just coming out with a disappointing loss like this, it hurts.
Justin Fields on Bears fans
Negative reaction to Fields’ quote from long-suffering Bears fans came swiftly. Many pointed out that they’ve been rooting for (and have been let down by) the Bears for much longer than Fields’ 18 months or so with the team or, in many cases, longer than his 23 years on earth.
However, other fans did come to his defense and agreed that any loss would and should be harder for the players and coaches on the field than the fans in the stands.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers still own Chicago and its fans
From 1921 to Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season, the Chicago Bears (or the Staleys in 1921) and the Green Bay Packers have played 205 times. The overall series currently stands at 104 wins for the Packers, 95 wins for the Bears, and six ties.
For a century’s worth of football games, that’s pretty evenly matched. However, recent years haven’t been as kind to the team from the Windy City.
Since 1992, three QBs have led the Packers franchise in passing for a season. These players were Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Brett Hundley in 2017, when Rodgers missed nine games with an injury.
In that same time, 16 QBs have led the Bears in passing for a season. These names are far less spectacular than the Packers list. They include John Harbaugh, Steve Walsh, Erik Kramer, Dave Krieg, Shane Matthews, Cade McNown, Jim Miller, Kordell Stewart, Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, Jay Cutler, Matt Barkley, Mitchell Trubisky, and Justin Fields.
As a result, in these last 30 years, the Packers have a dominant 45-15 record against their southern rivals. Favre was 22-10 against the Bears, and Rodgers’ record is 23-5.
The Packers started this epic run that tortures Bears fans seven years before Fields was born. So, maybe the young QB needs to think twice before telling these long-suffering fans that a loss to the Packers hurts him and his fellow players more than the fans.
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference
