Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields likely to turn down Netflix’s ‘Quarterback’

LAKE FOREST – Bears quarterback Justin Fields said Netflix has already reached out about following him during the 2023 season for season two of “Quarterback.” The 24-year-old quarterback said Tuesday that he doesn’t plan on participating.

The show, produced by Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, released season one earlier this month. It followed three NFL quarterbacks throughout the 2022 NFL season. Season one featured Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins and Atlanta’s Marcus Mariota. It featured extensive interviews with the players throughout the season, as well as interviews with coaches and players’ families.

“I don’t think I’m going to do it,” Fields said Tuesday as Bears training camp began at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.

Fields indicated he felt like it would be a distraction for the team. He did note that “maybe down the road” he would consider participating in the show.

Fields said he never brought it up with head coach Matt Eberflus or general manager Ryan Poles because he already decided he didn’t want to do it.

“I kind of already knew it would change the vibe,” Fields said.

Poles, meanwhile, said any decision of that magnitude would have to be an internal discussion to see if it benefits the club.

“I know, from my position, that’s a tough deal to have cameras and have to live through a whole season with it,” Poles said.

The Bears have never shown any interest in participating in HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” So it comes as little surprise that they might not be interested in “Quarterback” either. This year, four teams were eligible to be featured on Hard Knocks: the Bears, Saints, Jets and Commanders. The league chose to follow Aaron Rodgers and the Jets.

[ Top 25 most important Bears in 2023: No. 1 Justin Fields ]

Teams that have a new head coach are not eligible for “Hard Knocks,” neither are teams that have been to the playoffs for two straight seasons nor teams that have been featured on “Hard Knocks” within the past 10 years. That narrowed the list down to four teams in 2023.

There are no such guidelines for “Quarterback,” but Poles said he’s torn when it comes to shows like these.

“That’s a tough one because I really believe this is like a family set up where we have a lot of things going on in our building that we want to keep private,” Poles said. “That’s really tough. If we all threw a couple cameras in our house, in our bathrooms – kind a weird right. But I also understand the access part of it and the fan part of it, that it’s cool to see.”

Fields has already been featured on one football documentary show. During high school, he was featured on season two of “QB1: Beyond the Lights.” The show, which was on Netflix at one point but no longer is, followed three top high school quarterbacks each season. It followed Fields during his senior season in 2017 at Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia, and aired in 2018.

Fields said the experience was weird at first, but after a while he grew used to the cameras.

“Just having cameras around the building, I think that might change the vibe of everyone. I just want to keep it natural and organic and really just focus on what’s going on in the building.”

—  Justin Fields, Bears quarterback

“It was a cool experience,” Fields said. “I think a lot of people in [my] college days knew me from that show, so I think that’s kind of where – not even from the football side of things – but just a lot of people would come up to me and be like, ‘Weren’t you on that QB1 show, this and that,’ so it was cool though.”

This is a huge season for the Bears and for Fields. A lot of work lies ahead for the organization as it tries to turn things around following a 3-14 season in 2022. Fields felt benefits of being on the show weren’t worth the extra distraction.

“Just having cameras around the building, I think that might change the vibe of everyone,” Fields said. “I just want to keep it natural and organic and really just focus on what’s going on in the building.”