For as much negative as there’s been on Justin Fields in recent weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ coaches seem happy with where he is. While they wouldn’t come out and be overtly negative about him, new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith sounded excited about what he saw during Fields’ first few weeks practicing with the team.
“We’re excited to have the opportunity to work with him,” he told reporters via the team’s YouTube channel during the team’s minicamp. “Justin’s got a great mindset. For a guy who has had a lot of individual success. He’s certainly had some flash plays that we’ve all seen. Some dynamic playmaking.”
Fields comes to Pittsburgh in a new role after serving as the Chicago Bears’ starter and face of the franchise since 2021. He’s the backup to Russell Wilson and though that battle technically isn’t over, Fields is dealing with reduced reps instead of having the offense built around him. Still, he’s treating the competition like it’s wide open, pushing Wilson and making each other better.
Smith and the Steelers’ mission will be to even out Justin Fields’ game. As Smith alludes to, Fields is a dynamic player who at his best can make NFL defenses look silly. His ability to scramble and extend plays coupled with a powerful arm creates “wow” moments. But they come at a cost. Fields is just as prone to missing on an easy throw, taking a sack, or turning the ball over. For his career, he has 54 total touchdowns (passing and rushing) with 41 total turnovers (interceptions and fumbles lost). It’s an unimpressive ratio.
Smith has turned around quarterbacks before. Ryan Tannehill went from first-round bust in Miami to Comeback Player of the Year under Smith in Tennessee. But Smith also couldn’t make Desmond Ridder work in Atlanta, an athlete with scattershot accuracy and frustrating decisions.
While Fields’ OTA play has been evaluated to death already, what matters most is what happens next. How he looks in more “live” sessions during camp, even knowing quarterbacks are off-limits to be hit, and certainly during preseason action. Smith will also have to decide how much, or how little, to use Fields in specialty packages during the regular season.
