When Justin Fields was first drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2021, he was asked by the Chicago media in one of his first press conferences which quarterback he models his game after. One of those quarterbacks is now in the same quarterback room with him as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers following Saturday evening’s news that he is being traded to the team.
“I would say when I was younger, like maybe eighth, ninth grade, it was more Cam Newton,” Fields said in his 2021 press conference posted on the Bears’ Website. “But I would say these past couple years I’ve turned more to a Russell Wilson-type quarterback.”
Both Newton and Wilson made their name in the NFL by having athleticism to move around the pocket, extend plays, and scramble when needed, but they both also have great arm talent to push the ball down the field. That is something Fields has displayed in his first three seasons in the NFL.
The Steelers and Wilson agreed to a deal last Sunday evening that was officially signed on Friday. With Fields now coming to Pittsburgh, he will have a chance to learn from the quarterback that he models his game after.
The Fields trade is coming on the heels of QB Kenny Pickett being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday afternoon. So now the Steelers quarterback room is entirely transformed in the matter of days from what they had the last couple seasons.
“I’ve watched a lot of film on him,” Fields said, talking about Wilson back in 2021. “I’ve watched a lot of highlights on him, so I think the things that we can do on the field with both of those quarterbacks, I think we have a lot of similarities between extending plays with our legs and also having the arm talent.”
By all accounts, Wilson is willing to act as a mentor. He even said that he texted with Pickett following his signing, trying to build rapport with the quarterback whose job he was replacing. That ended with Pickett reportedly wanting out of Pittsburgh, but now he will have a new young talent to help mold behind him on the roster.
Wilson liked Fields’ post on X as he said farewell to the fanbase of the Bears.
Fields is entering his contract year, so the Steelers will have a decision to make regarding his fifth-year option by the deadline on May 2nd. The trade is reportedly only for a sixth-round pick in 2025 unless he plays 51-percent of the snaps, so it is not a foregone conclusion that the Steelers will exercise the option. But now they have quality depth and a possible path forward for the future with the guys now on the roster.
