Justin Fields’ first snap as the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers did not inspire much confidence. It was a fumbled snap that somehow resulted in positive yardage, but it left fans unsure if Fields could lead the Steelers to a win. Rookie center Zach Frazier seemed thankful that mistake didn’t ruin his first NFL game.
“I definitely had some butterflies,” Frazier told reporters after the game via Steelers Live on Twitter. “It’s everything you dream about as a kid, to go out there for that first snap. Of course, that first snap we fumbled, so gotta get that cleaned up.”
It’s unclear whose fault that fumble was, but it’s likely blame can be assessed to both Frazier and Fields. Fields had this same issue during the first preseason game this year, so it was very concerning to see it pop up again. Those previous fumbled exchanges came with Nate Herbig at center, so Frazier had no part in them. Both quarterback and center shared the blame then as well.
Frazier had a fine day besides those first few plays in the Steelers’ 18-10 win. There was another early snap that Fields seemed to have trouble with on a toss play to Najee Harris, but there wasn’t any serious damage. It could likely be chalked up to nerves because it was Frazier and Fields’ first game with the Steelers.
Fields didn’t know until late last week that he might start, which probably also had a factor in the early issues. Once everyone got settled into the game, things looked much tighter. There didn’t seem to be any more issues on exchanges between Frazier and Fields.
“I think I’m pretty good at forgetting about plays and moving on,” Frazier said of the early hiccups. “Just knowing what I have to fix. If I have a bad snap, I know how to adjust. I just feel like I can move on from plays.”
That’s a great trait for any player to have, let alone a rookie. Frazier will likely have many up-and-down moments this year, so it’s good that he has a short memory. If he let himself get bogged down by negative plays, it would only hurt him more. Forgetting the last snap, adjusting to be better, and moving on is the best reaction.
It’s unclear if Fields will start next week or if Russell Wilson will be healthy, but hopefully there aren’t any more fumbled snaps. If there’s one thing that will drive Mike Tomlin crazy, it’s turnovers. Fields and Frazier did a good job of moving on in Week 1 though, which is a good sign moving forward.
