Quarterbacks in the NFL can have all the potential in the world, but it doesn’t matter unless they are coached well and given proper guidance. Every year, quarterbacks come out of the draft and analysts talk about their strengths and compare them to other starting quarterbacks, but many times, they never reach that potential. Sometimes, like in the case of famous draft bust Jamarcus Russell, the player is at fault for not putting their best foot forward and taking the NFL seriously. Other times, the blame falls squarely on the coaching staff for not supporting the player enough. We’re about to see if Mike Tomlin can get the best out of Justin Fields.
Fields is one such player that requires this high level of analysis. Drafted in the first round in 2021, Fields oozed potential and seemed to have the makeup of a franchise quarterback. However, the Chicago Bears failed to provide Fields with any kind of support, leaving him to play with subpar receivers and below-average offensive line play. Not even the best rookie quarterbacks could succeed in a situation like that. However, he has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where, hopefully, he can finally become the player many have envisioned he could be.
Oftentimes, there’s no better person to hear speak on quarterback play than a former quarterback. On the most recent episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, that’s exactly what listeners got, with former MVP quarterback Cam Newton talking about the Steelers’ current situation with both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
”Mike Tomlin is doing what I just said. He’s developing Justin Fields. Hey, we’re gonna bring in a veteran that you can see not only his preparation on the field, but how does he take care of his body? I want you to study that. And then he’s on the one-year contract. If he does not produce, then you will be inserted to take on that. And you’re still young enough, yes, to be labeled a franchise guy,” Newton said on the Steelers bringing in Fields after they had already signed Wilson and decreed him the starter.
“So it’s chess here and if anybody can coach Justin Fields, it’s Mike Tomlin because he knows the struggles. He knows how to, the vernacular, or choice of words to get through to his quarterback in that type of manner.”
It’s clear from the way he talks that Newton believes that Fields can still become a very high-caliber starting quarterback in this league. It will just take the right kind of coaching to get him there. Newton spent several years as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, leading his team to a Super Bowl in 2015.
Newton’s career may have been cut short due to injuries inflicted on account of his physical style of play and the poor offensive lines he played behind. Although the two play the game very differently and have very different builds, there are shades of Newton’s style in Fields. Therefore, Newton would have an idea of what kind of coach could get the most out of Fields.
Mike Tomlin isn’t a perfect coach, but he’s proved through years of steady leadership that he is one of the best coaches in the NFL. While he isn’t an offensive guru, he is an incredible leader of men, which may be exactly what Fields needs to regain his confidence. For the Steelers to be successful in the future, they will need a great, not just good, quarterback, and Fields has that in him. It will just be up to him and the team to unleash that.
