Andy Dalton knows Justin Fields’ time with Bears is coming, ‘but right now, it’s my time’

The Justin Fields hype has been impossible to escape, especially for veteran Andy Dalton, who was brought in this offseason to serve as the Bears starting quarterback.

Everyone knows the plan by now: Let Fields sit and develop while Dalton, a capable veteran, serves as the starting quarterback until Fields is ready. Which is all fine and dandy, expect for the fact that many are clamoring for Matt Nagy to change his stance on the quarterback plan with Fields’ exceeding expectations.

So it’s not a surprise that Fields has captivated everyone with his potential — be it fans, media or the Bears themselves. And Dalton understands that. But it hasn’t stopped him from staying the course for this season, where he’s focused on helping the Bears win.

“Justin is going to have his time and Justin is going to have a great career,” Dalton said. “But right now it’s my time, so my focus is on being the best player I can be for this team and helping this team win.”

Naturally, the “it’s my time” quote will have many thinking back to a time when former Bears quarterback Mike Glennon muttered something similar — “This is my year” — only to be replaced by first-round rookie Mitchell Trubisky after four games.

We’re likely headed towards a similar path, where Fields will eventually replace Dalton this season. But I think most of us can agree that Dalton gives the Bears a better chance to win than Glennon did.

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