PHOENIX -- During his final days as a Bear, Robert Quinn made it known that he didn't want to be traded. Quinn was willing to ride things out in Chicago despite the Bears' rebuilding status.
General manager Ryan Poles had a different idea, trading Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fourth-round draft pick. The move worked out for Quinn, who finds himself preparing to face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl XVII on Sunday.
The veteran edge rusher admits he was angry at how Poles and the Bears handled the situation at the trade deadline.
“Honestly, I was mad," Quinn told a few members of the Chicago media at Super Bowl Opening Night. "Highly upset with how it went down. You’re pulled into the building, and they say you’re getting traded, especially in the middle of the year. It ain’t really a good feeling.
"Especially after breaking the record. I thought that would help me. At the end of the day, it’s just part of the business. They had different plan for the organization and the team and I wasn’t part of it.”
With months to process the trade and get settled with the Eagles, Quinn now sees the trade as a positive. Becoming an Eagle allowed him to advance in the playoffs for the first time in his career.
“Looking back, like I said, I was frustrated," Quinn said. "But going through the time, being here, seeing the love that guys have for each other made it more fun. Of course, winning makes it even more fun. Again, regardless, we’re in the Super Bowl. It was well worth it, even if I wanted things to happen or not.
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“It was an unexpected journey that I definitely went on. But it seemed to work out well in the end. We’re not quite finished, but to go from one situation to this, you know, it’s a blessing in disguise. Just trying to enjoy it while I can. It’s a wild ride in this league.”
Quinn's final game with the Bears was the 33-14 win over the New England Patriots in Week 7. The win over the Patriots was the start of quarterback Justin Fields' Year 2 rise, something Quinn was happy to see as he got his bearing with the Eagles.
“I’m glad everything started clicking for him, and he’s started having the success he’s capable of and definitely able to produce," Quinn said of Fields. "I, of course, wasn’t there to see it in person, but it’s nice to see it from afar over the TV.”
Quinn now shares a locker room with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who many have pointed to as the blueprint for Fields to follow.
But the 32-year-old edge rusher didn't want to compare his past and present signal-callers.
“They are two individual people from characteristics," Quinn said. "At the end of the day, Jalen has been here and established himself quite well. The team kind of gravitated toward him, at least from my perspective. I think there’s just an environment of love and that allows anyone to be successful.
"Justin is just in a situation we all had to deal with. There’s good people there, great players. They just got to make sure everting works for the players so they can be successful.”
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Quinn voided the final two years of his contract upon being traded to the Eagles. That makes him a free agent this offseason.
What does his NFL future hold after Sunday's showdown with the Chiefs? The always enigmatic Quinn didn't have an answer. Or, at least, wasn't willing to offer one.
"Continue to wake up in the morning," Quinn said, laughing, when asked what he wanted to do next. "If you ask me tomorrow, I'm going to answer it the same way. We'll see where life takes us."