Pulse Check: What do Bears Fans Think About QB1?

Bears fans weigh in on what they think will happen with the quarterback position this off-season

The conversation about the quarterback position this off-season has been nothing short of exhausting. From social media fights to group texts, it seems that everyone has an opinion of what Ryan Poles will do with the number one pick in April. When engaging in these conversations, it has been important for me to differentiate between what people think will happen and what people want to happen.

That can be hard to separate for some as every new piece of information seems to confirm the preferred outcome they already crafted. This coach was hired, therefore Justin Fields stays. Justin unfollowed the Bears on IG, therefore he goes. Caleb Williams liked a post about DJ Moore, therefore he wants to be a Bear. Caleb Williams liked a post from someone saying they didn’t want him in Chicago, therefore he’s going to force his way to another team. It’s like The Da Vinci Code, but instead of a cryptex, Da Bears Code just gets vocal fans slinging mud at each other every day.

To try and understand the pulse of the fanbase a little better, I ran three polls on Twitter. Standard caveats apply that this is not scientific, but I do believe that the significant response rate provides a good sense of where many fans are at in their thinking. The first poll asked respondents what they think Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears will do at the quarterback position this off-season. The choices provided were as simple as possible: keep Fields and trade the pick; trade Fields and draft Caleb Williams; Keep Fields and draft Caleb; or some other idea. With over 3,000 respondents, one option stood out for Bears fans – the vast majority of fans think Poles will trade Justin Fields and draft Caleb Williams.

Surprised? I think those engaged in the daily conversations on social media would have guessed a closer split or, given the number of wild ideas thrown around, more people would have said “other.” For the record, I used the “Keep Fields & draft Caleb” as an option because it is the alternative idea I see the most. It is not a personal endorsement as I don’t see that as a viable option.

The second poll asked what do Bears fans want to see happen and these results surprised me:

I expected to see a bigger gap between what fans thought Poles would do and what they want to see happen. To be sure, directionally it moved in a predictable fashion, but with only about 6% more respondents wanting Poles to keep Fields and trade the pick than in the first poll. There were more votes for alternative ideas, including trading both Fields and the number one pick and taking a different quarterback like Drake Maye or JJ McCarthy. However, the real story of the first two polls to me were that the fanbase isn’t nearly as split as it might seem on social media and the majority are ready to move on if that’s the direction Poles chooses to go.

That brings me to my last poll, which asked Bears fans if they would continue to cheer for Justin Fields if he’s traded away.

The majority of respondents (53%!) said they would continue to cheer for him on any team outside of the division. Another 12% would cheer for him if he’s moved to an AFC team while about 15% voted to pack their bags and follow wherever Justin went. Only 20% said no thanks, only players wearing the Navy & Orange, which means 4 in 5 like Justin Fields enough to continue cheering for him under at least some circumstances. This is an incredibly popular guy with Bears fans, which makes the results of the second poll all the more interesting. Despite his popularity with the fan base, a majority are ready for Fields and Chicago to both get fresh starts.

Bears fans should get some clarity in the coming weeks as the new league year kicks off. If Ryan Poles is set on trading Justin Fields, it behooves him to be active early. If nothing else, making the decision will help settle all the social media debates, and Bears fans can unite once again behind a common cause…right?

March 13th can’t get here soon enough.

Let me know in the comments your answers to the three polls – what do you think will happen, what do you want to happen, and will you continue to cheer for Fields if he’s traded.