VIDEO: Justin Fields Gives Game Balls To Poles And Eberflus
The Chicago Bears weren’t going to earn any style points on opening day. Not only were they playing one of the best teams in the NFC, but they’d also have to do it in the Midwest equivalent of a hurricane. Justin Fields and his team took some body blows early on a rain-soaked Soldier Field turf. The San Francisco 49ers defense smothered them for most of the first half. Their lone promising drive late in the 2nd quarter was ruined by a baffling illegal towel on the field penalty.
It would’ve been so easy for the Bears to crumble after such a frustrating 30 minutes of football. Not to mention familiar. However, things changed in the second half. After falling behind 10-0 early in the 3rd quarter, Fields changed the momentum with one play, finding Dante Pettis for a 51-yard touchdown. Chicago would go on to score 19 unanswered points and stunned the 49ers with a huge upset victory. The best part had to be the team’s slip-n-slide celebration in the end zone after the final whistle.
They weren’t done, though. After everybody returned to the locker room, Fields had the honor of handing out the game ball. He had two of them, one for head coach Matt Eberflus and the other for GM Ryan Poles. Those two men spent months tirelessly working the team into shape. That was their first win as a pair—hopefully one of many to come.
Justin Fields knows the difference those two men made.
He was there for the dumpster fire last season under Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. Those two mismanaged the team at every level, taking what was a Super Bowl contender in 2018 to 6-11 by the end of 2021. Poles overturned more than half of the roster, seeking more speed, youth, and violence. At the same time, Eberflus worked to establish a team identity. He wanted players in great condition, to play hard, and to be smart.
The fruits of their labor shined in that game. Three rookies made impact plays on defense. Another guarded Justin Fields’ blind side. The team only committed three penalties, forced two turnovers, and had a 19-3 scoring advantage in the second half. That is how you win football games against good teams.