Russell Wilson will be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback for their Week 1 tilt against the Atlanta Falcons. Whether you believed there was a legitimate quarterback competition this summer or not, Wilson is officially the starter.
But have the Steelers closed the book on Fields in Pittsburgh? Head coach Mike Tomlin talked up getting Fields on the field versus the Falcons. The Steelers love the athletic ability of Fields. So is there hope for Fields having a future in Pittsburgh? The opportunity is certainly there since none of the quarterbacks are under contract for 2025.
“The Steelers are still searching for their quarterback of the future beyond the soon-to-be 36-year-old Russell Wilson,” Kay Adams said on Thursday’s episode of Up & Adams. “That’s something that Tomlin and this organization that we look to be one of the best, that’s what they’re thinking about. So his emphasis on growth opportunity for Justin Fields sort of accentuates that that’s been the plan all the way along… He’s just 25. He’s a year older than [Michael Penix Jr.] and Bo Nix, entering the fourth year of his career. He’s still developing, and it maybe gives him the best shot at maximizing all of the potential that he’s shown.”
.@heykayadams breaks down the QB situation in Pittsburgh and what it could mean for Justin Fields long-term 📈🗣️@steelers pic.twitter.com/2fIpEeqPOz
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 29, 2024
Perhaps the Steelers planned for Wilson to be the starter all along. It makes sense. Wilson has won a Super Bowl and has been to another. He threw for 26 touchdowns in 2023 in a bad situation with the Denver Broncos. He has plenty of NFL experience and brings a winning mentality to the Steelers.
But as Adams pointed out, Wilson will be turning 36 during the 2024 season. Could he play for a few more years? He certainly could if the offensive line doesn’t get him killed. But it would be a football miracle if he was the answer for the next decade.
Which brings us back to Fields. Unlike Wilson, Fields doesn’t have winning experience in the NFL. He’s got three years of experience, but it was in a bad situation with the Chicago Bears. The Steelers weren’t able to take Fields and have him focus on learning offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system.
The Steelers had to help Fields focus on fundamentals first. Tomlin talked about Fields improving his footwork while in the pocket. And it showed during training camp. There’s a reason why people were talking about Fields improving. He did.
Now did it translate to consistent success during the preseason? No. There were still struggles. He was sacked and had some fumbled quarterback-center exchanges. But he also made some dynamic plays with his legs and his arm. Tomlin even spoke about how much Fields’ physical talents impressed him this summer.
While Tomlin and the Steelers are rolling with Wilson as the starter to open 2024, perhaps what Fields’ training camp performance did was open their eyes to his ability to grow. If he continues to grow this season in practice settings and when he does get on the field in special packages, maybe he’ll be the starter for 2025.
