Head coach Mike Tomlin is a man of many expressions, but one that has been muttered a lot recently is, “One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.” This of course applies to the current quarterback situation in Pittsburgh with Justin Fields starting in place of the injured Russell Wilson.
When the Steelers brought in Russell Wilson, they did so without knowing that just a few days later Kenny Pickett would request his way out of town. That led to the Steelers looking for a viable backup quarterback, which resulted in Justin Fields being traded to the Steelers.
Wilson was given pole position by Tomlin right away, and that continued all the way up until the Wednesday before the season began when Tomlin named him the starter. Injuries have given Fields the opportunity to start the first two games, and it is pretty likely he will also start the third game.
Bill Belichick knows a thing or two about quarterbacks taking advantage of opportunities, and discussed this topic on the Coach podcast via Underdog Network.
“Those injuries provide opportunities,” Belichick said. “Whether that’s [Tom] Brady coming in for [Drew] Bledsoe. [Matt] Cassel coming in for Brady. Kurt Warner coming in for Trent Green. I mean, those guys became good quarterbacks in part because of the opportunity unfortunately of those injuries.
“Some guys are ready to go, and it looks like [Justin] Fields has taken advantage of his opportunity in Pittsburgh.”
Obviously, Fields’ situation is a little different than Brady, Cassel, or Warner. Fields was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and had 38 starts before he ever put on a black and gold jersey. But the fact remains that Fields is making the most of his opportunity. So much so, that many national media figures and analysts are now calling for Fields to become the permanent starter, even when Wilson is healthy.
If he gets the Steelers to 3-0 on Sunday with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers, he will have achieved something that Ben Roethlisberger was only ever able to do twice in his 18-season career with the Steelers. That is made even more impressive by the fact that Fields wasn’t supposed to be the starter until just before Week 1, and he is dealing with a new offensive system and new playmakers all around him. The first two wins were on the road, too.
With Fields just 25 years old, he still has plenty of time to develop into a possible franchise quarterback in Pittsburgh. If he keeps winning, that time might be now.
