Justin Fields was born and raised in Georgia. Like any impressionable young athlete, he had players he idolized. Sitting atop that list was Michael Vick. This shouldn't be a surprise. The former Pro Bowl quarterback was a superstar for the Atlanta Falcons. Many feel he forever changed how the position is viewed, thanks to his insane running ability. Nobody had ever seen a quarterback pull off feats with his legs like Vick did. He paved the way for a new generation of mobile QBs like Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, and of course, Fields.
The Chicago Bears recently posted photographs of the two meeting at Halas Hall. It seems Vick came around for a visit and took the opportunity to offer Fields advice—a pretty cool gesture by the former quarterback.
While it may seem like nothing to get excited about, people should know how important such a meeting could be. Vick's experience can be a vital lesson to Fields' continued development. Among them is the Bears' quarterback's need to not lean so much on his legs moving forward. Otherwise, he will never reach his full potential.
Justin Fields must learn from Vick's mistakes.
The ex-quarterback would be the first to say he didn't realize his running tendencies were a crutch. He leaned on them so often that it kept him from becoming a more dangerous player. During his peak in Atlanta, Vick was focused more on using his legs to create chunk yards and then occasionally hitting big plays through the air. It's why his completion percentages were always so low and why he never cracked 3,000 yards passing. Opponents always recognized this as a weakness in the playoffs and exploited it.
It wasn't until Vick spent two years in prison for dog fighting that he took the time to reflect on his career. He realized for all the things he'd done to make the Falcons successful; he was also holding them back. So when he got released, he made it his mission to remake himself into a proper quarterback. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles under renowned head coach Andy Reid. In 2010, he became the starter and had his best season. Vick threw for 3,018 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He also ran for 676 yards and nine touchdowns.
It was the first and only glimpse of what he could've been had he applied himself better in Atlanta. That is the advice he can pass on to Justin Fields. Don't view his superb athleticism as the core of your game—merely a part of it. Learn to play the entire position. Resist the urge to run at every opportunity. Only do it when you have no other choice. That is how you get defenses to fear you.
