There are a number of ways to look at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 schedule now that it is official. The initial reaction by many is a big, nervous gulp as they collectively weigh the Steelers’ chances given the difficult schedule. Colin Cowherd took a bit of a different angle, and says this could be a positive thing for QB Justin Fields.
“You know what I thought when I saw the Pittsburgh Steelers schedule? I thought Justin Fields looked at that thing and went, ‘Oh, I’m gonna get some snaps.’ Justin Fields is gonna get some snaps,” Cowherd said in a clip of his show The Herd posted on X. “That is the toughest schedule I have ever seen, Thanksgiving on, in league history…Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season. He’s gonna have a losing season.”
Okay, I guess that isn’t too different of a reaction as what others have offered up so far, but his point about Fields getting playing time as a result is interesting. If the Steelers find themselves below .500 entering the brutal final eight-game stretch of the schedule, could a quarterback change be on the agenda? At that point, you can reasonably conclude that Russell Wilson didn’t live up to expectations, and they are unlikely to extend him following the season if that is the case. It could be an opportunity for the Steelers to give Fields a tryout to become their next franchise quarterback.
He is also in the final year of his deal after the Steelers declined his fifth-year option. Both of their top two quarterbacks are free agents next year, so the Steelers have every reason to want to see what Fields has before making a crucial decision at the position next offseason. The only way they will be able to do that with confidence is if he plays, and a losing season might be the path to making that happen.
I don’t know if I necessarily agree with the assessment that Tomlin is going to have his first losing season because of the way the schedule shook out. It is going to be a much more difficult road than in 2023, but the Steelers should also be upgraded in a lot of ways from last year’s unit.
For one, the defense is in a better place from a depth standpoint at multiple key positions. They shouldn’t be in the situation they found themselves in last year, having to sign street free agents to start games. The offense can’t get much worse than it was the last couple seasons, and there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic with a new offensive coordinator, a potentially much-improved offensive line, and some new quarterbacks. Which side of the equation will be stronger — the improvements, or the difficult schedule?
