The Kansas City Chiefs are facing heat for trading for Justin Fields after a disastrous season where they missed the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. His season-ending injury led to a disappointing 6-11 record and a third-place finish in the AFC West. With Mahomes still recovering, the Chiefs brought in Fields as a backup, a trade that radio analyst Adam Schein believes may not work out for Kansas City.

“I have nothing positive to say about Fields,” Adam Schein said. “Andy Reid has been very successful with athletic quarterbacks. Andy Reid has been very successful with second-chance quarterbacks. We could talk about Alex Smith; we could talk about Mike Vick. We could talk about athletic quarterbacks with Donovan McNabb of Syracuse and Patrick Mahomes coming out of college, like the body of work on Reid being the best, and a genius working with those kinds of guys. But I can’t give you anything positive here on Justin Fields.”

‘Schein’s criticism stems from Fields’ inconsistent NFL career. Fields was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2021 and showcased glimpses of potential during his time in the Windy City. After his rookie season, the Ohio State Alum recorded 17 touchdown passes while rushing for 1,143 yards in 2022.

However, he also took a league-high 55 sacks and fumbled 16 times that year, which has been a recurring issue in his NFL career. With these glaring issues and turnovers, the 27-year-old’s time in Chicago ended with a disappointing 10-28 record, which prompted the franchise to trade him. After the Bears, Fields played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024 and started in six games before leaving the franchise as a free agent to join the New York Jets ahead of the 2025 season.

At the Big Apple, Fields’ struggles continued with the quarterback recording seven touchdown passes, one interception, and 1,259 passing yards, including limited production over his final stretch of starts. He was ranked 31st out of 36 passers in Total QBR (37.3), among quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts, according to ESPN, while leading the franchise to a 2-7 record as a starter. The 27-year-old also had only 6.8 air yards per attempt in 2025 for the Jets, highlighting ongoing issues with his game.

Fields also faced public criticism, with team owner Woody Johnson openly blaming him for the Jets’ 0-7 start. The trade was a low-risk flyer for the Chiefs, who acquired Fields for just a future sixth-round pick. The deal was made even more palatable by the Jets agreeing to eat $7 million of his remaining salary, leaving Kansas City on the hook for a mere $3 million.

With this move, the Chiefs hope to add insurance for Patrick Mahomes as he continues his recovery from last season’s injury. Further, GM Brett Veach and Co. are also banking on head coach Andy Reid to maximize Fields’ potential, based on his track record with star dual-threat signal-callers, former Philadelphia Eagles star Donovan McNabb, or a late-career Michael Vick with the same franchise.

McNabb and Reid formed a dominant duo, making nine playoff runs, 5 NFC Championship games, and Super Bowl XXXIX. Reid was the 2002 Coach of the Year, while McNabb was a 6-time Pro Bowler and the Eagles’ all-time leader in passing yards and wins.

Similarly, Reid and Michael Vick achieved significant success together with the Philadelphia Eagles (2009–2012), highlighted by Vick winning the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, an NFC East title, and a 10-6 record that season. Now with Justin Fields on the roster, the Chiefs’ front office hopes for a similar result from Andy Reid as the franchise parted ways with their former backup quarterback, Gardner Minshew, after the Arizona Cardinals signed him on a one-year contract.

With the Chiefs bringing in Justin Fields, attention now turns to Patrick Mahomes as he continues his recovery and aims to be ready for Week 1.

Patrick Mahomes shares an update on his injury

After suffering a season-ending ACL injury on December 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Patrick Mahomes is expected to be sidelined for 9-12 months. Based on the timeline, Mahomes could be returning in September, at the earliest. With questions raised about his recovery process, Mahomes himself shared his ideal return date for the 2026 season.

“I want to be ready for Week 1,” Mahomes said in January. “The doctors said I could, but I can’t predict what will happen throughout the process. That’s the goal: to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and give us the best chance to win. I hope to do some things in OTAs and training camp and be able to do things there.”

The Chiefs are taking a calculated risk by trading for Justin Fields as backup insurance while Patrick Mahomes recovers from his ACL injury. Despite Fields’ struggles in recent seasons, Andy Reid’s proven ability to get the best out of athletic quarterbacks gives Kansas City reason for cautious optimism. All eyes remain on Mahomes, who is targeting a Week 1 return for the 2026 season.