Chicago Bears fans are starved for a franchise quarterback. The team's best quarterback, Sid Luckman, retired over 70 years ago.
And all that pressure just got dropped on to the shoulders of Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields after general manager Ryan Pace and company traded up to select him 11th overall.
"I don't think there's pressure at all on me because I expect myself to be a franchise quarterback," Fields told the media on Friday. "There is really no added pressure."
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The Bears traded up for Mitchell Trubisky in 2017, choosing him over soon to be stars Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. It's haunted Bears fans. The Bears' lone Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim McMahon even said Chicago is "where quarterbacks go to die."
In this situation, it could be Fields counting to 11 on his fingers after decimating a team that passed on him in the draft because three teams took quarterbacks before the Bears picked Fields at No. 11.
The sentiment amongst fans after Fields was drafted is that those demons have been exorcised and Bears fans believe they've finally landed their long coveted franchise quarterback.
It's a perfect storm of expectations, pressure and criticism that could derail a young quarterback's career.
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For Fields, it's nothing new.
"I came from a big program like Ohio State where the fan base is very passionate about their sports," Fields said. "So there's definitely no added pressure for me in terms of that.
"I expect myself to be a franchise quarterback and one day, hopefully a top-five quarterback in this league."
Fields has been measured in his comments like a true veteran, not trying to be overly hyperbolic or put himself in a position to chase a promise he made on his first day with the team.
But Chicago's quarterback pressure cooker isn't going to stop his ambition.
"That's what I'm going out to do, I'm going to work every day to reach my goal and reach new heights," Fields said.
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