The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0 after taking down the previously undefeated Los Angeles Chargers, 20-10, on Sunday. QB Justin Fields had arguably his best day with the Steelers, completing 78.1 percent of his passes for 245 yards and a touchdown. He also had a rushing touchdown.
This may not have been what the Steelers pictured, though. Head coach Mike Tomlin named Russell Wilson the starting quarterback for Week 1. But it’s been Fields through the first three weeks of the season thanks to Wilson’s calf injury. And he’s shown growth throughout it.
It’s a far cry from the standard “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none” cliche. At least, that’s what former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick thinks.
“Everybody’s worried about the Pittsburgh quarterback situation,” Belichick said Monday on the Pat McAfee Show. “They might have the best one in the league. You have an experienced guy coming behind Fields if you need him. They’re playing well as a team.”
Both Wilson and Fields were castoffs this past offseason. The Denver Broncos cut Wilson loose after only two seasons. The Steelers traded a conditional sixth-round pick to the Chicago Bears for Fields, the former 11th-overall pick in 2021.
Yes, the Steelers overhauled their quarterback room by letting Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky walk while also trading Kenny Pickett. But detractors pointed to how both Wilson and Fields weren’t wanted by their previous teams. It was going to be a battle of mediocrity that simply kicked the quarterback issue down the road until 2025.
Instead, the Steelers are 3-0 and Fields has shown plenty of growth from the moment training camp started. He played his best game yet against the Chargers, who had the best scoring defense entering the weekend.
Fields did turn the ball over for the first time this season against the Chargers. But he did not let it negatively impact his play. He bounced back and made good decisions throughout the game.
Wilson should be good to practice this week ahead of the game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers brought him along slowly because there hasn’t been a need for him. But there might be a time when Wilson is needed. And how many teams can boast of having a backup quarterback who has one Super Bowl ring and played in another championship game?
That’s why Belichick thinks the Steelers have the best quarterback situation in the league. Because Fields is growing and improving while Wilson is there with a winning pedigree if something goes wrong.
