Matt Eberflus’ handling of questions about Chase Claypool’s situation was rather unsatisfactory. But on the other end of the spectrum is Justin Fields.
Eberflus’ response was filled with non-answers and pieces of word salad. The general tone of the discussion between the Chicago Bears head coach and the reporters who cover his team felt disconnected from reality. It wasn’t pretty. Eberflus didn’t handle the grilling from the press corps at Halas Hall well, but it’s not as if he didn’t deserve it with the responses he was giving.
Chicago’s starting quarterback wasn’t peppered with the same line of questioning as Eberflus. But when asked about Claypool’s situation, Fields’ answers came off as more measured, sincere, and genuine than those of his head coach.
A sampling of what Fields had to say:
“It sucks. But at the end of the day you can’t control it. You’ve got to go out there with the guys that we have and execute like we did this past Sunday. So, I wish nothing but the best for Chase. I think he knows that he kind of messed up by saying that. I wish him nothing but the best. He is a talented player, a great person, has a good heart, and works really hard. I’m definitely going to be staying in touch with him regardless of what happens.”
below for more from Justin Fields’ press conference:
WATCH: 6 Minutes of Matt Eberflus Getting Grilledꦉ W𓂃ith Chase Claypool Questions
It has been such a wild handful of days following Chase Claypool’s situation with the Chicago Bears. Claypool’s comments about his usage might not have been incorrect. However, that situation felt like it was the right message coming from the wrong messenger from the get-go. That bit of candid and honest commentary appears to have been a factor leading to his benching. Making Claypool inactive for the Bears’ Week 4 game against the Denver Broncos was a strong statement made by this coaching staff. But the awkward situation regarding being told to stay away from the team and Eberflus’ comments that followed complicated an already tense situation. Frankly, it is impressive to hear the quarterback keep a level head when discussing the matter.
Justin Fields on Chase Claypool situation: “It sucks”
You could really sense the disappointment in Fields’ tone. And why wouldn’t he be disappointed? Bears GM Ryan Poles swung a trade for Chase Claypool before the NFL trade deadline as a sign of faith in Fields’ development. That Fields and Claypool never got on the same page after the deal went down is a bummer. The trade didn’t bring back much of a return on the investment. But the idea of trading a second-round pick to upgrade at an important position in an attempt to bolster a developing quarterback was sound. After all, that Calvin Ridley Jaguars-Falcons trade seems to be something that’ll work out for both parties. That the Bears’ swing at cutting a similar kind of deal fell apart in less than a calendar year stinks.
In the end, Bears players have bigger fish to fry than dealing with questions about what is going on with one of their teammates whose days with the team appear to be numbered. But how players handle said questions is the type of thing that I believe helps capture the pulse of the team. Things aren’t going well for these Bears at the moment. And in a situation when Fields could’ve caved to frustration, his comments on Claypool’s situation gave me a glimmer of hope that QB1 can keep things on the right path for those who are in the locker room.
