The Pittsburgh Steelers opened up OTAs today with the first of 10 voluntary sessions leading into the mandatory minicamp in a couple weeks. With this session, we get the first look at Justin Fields and his first public words since being traded to the Steelers in March. There has been a lot of conversation surrounding the pecking order of the quarterbacks with Russell Wilson in “pole position” entering OTAs and camp. That doesn’t mean Fields plans on taking a back seat in the competition.
“To be honest, I’m taking it day by day. I’m definitely competing. I think Russ knows that we’re competing against each other every day,” Fields said Tuesday during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “Him being out there, for me, that helps me getting better, us pushing each other. I mean, I definitely don’t have the mindset of me just sitting all year, so I’m coming in everyday giving it all I got.”
This isn’t a big surprise. No player who has spent the last three seasons as a starter is going to take a backseat to another quarterback.
The Steelers have every reason to want Fields to work out. Both he and Wilson are on the final year of their contract. With nearly a full decade in age between the two players, Fields is the better long-term option if he can earn a starting job in Pittsburgh.
But that doesn’t mean it is a hostile competition. Fields has said throughout his career that he models his game after Wilson. The two have communicated frequently dating back to Fields’ days in college.
“The first time I ever talked to Russell was when I was in college,” Fields said. “We’ve known each other for a good bit now, and the fact that I get to learn stuff from him, the things he has accomplished up to this point in his career has been great. So, just me learning the little details, how he’s so meticulous and detailed within every rep, every individual drill, it just kind of makes me think like that’s what I should be doing each and every time. I’m glad to have him here.”
Going back to Mike Tomlin’s choice of the phrase “pole position,” and him outright saying that Fields will be able to compete, there is no reason to think this is a done deal with the QB depth chart. The only time Tomlin was in a situation similar to this was Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky, but that was navigating a first-round rookie, not a three-year starter versus a 12-year veteran. Pole position means Wilson has the head start in the race, but to further the analogy, the car that starts up front doesn’t always finish the race in first.
At least with the way things appear to the media right now, it seems like a great situation for the Steelers. Fields is receptive to learning from Wilson, but also determined to win the job. There doesn’t appear to be any level of animosity, and the competition will only make both of them better.
They are both on even ground in terms of learning the new offense under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, so the speed at which they pick up on the offense will help determine how this competition plays out. There are plenty of NFL analysts who have stated their belief that Fields will win the competition at some point. Maybe that is unlikely for Week 1, but with the Steelers having one of the toughest schedules in the NFL next season, it could certainly come at some point in the middle of the season.
