The Pittsburgh Steelers looked like they had finally found a solution at quarterback with Russell Wilson, as when he took over as Pittsburgh’s starter in Week 7, he looked to be rejuvenated after two down seasons with the Denver Broncos and helped lead the Steelers to a 10-3 start. With a five-game losing streak and Wilson reverting to some of the same mistakes that plagued him in Denver down the stretch, his future in Pittsburgh is up in the air, and who will be the Steelers quarterback next season is an open question.
In an article this morning for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Steelers insider Gerry Dulac said that Pittsburgh’s late-season collapse and Wilson’s reported disconnect with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith could lead the Steelers to move on. He believes that Justin Fields, who started the first six games of the season, will be Pittsburgh’s quarterback in 2025.
“But, with the way the season ended with five consecutive losses and a disconnect existing with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, that deal might not materialize. [Russell] Wilson was brought here to help end the playoff victory drought, and it didn’t happen. Bringing in another veteran quarterback does not make sense. That’s why [Justin] Fields, in all likelihood, will be given the job,” Dulac wrote.
Justin Fields is also set to be a free agent. The only quarterback under contract for the Steelers in 2025 is Skylar Thompson, who the team signed to a reserve/futures deal earlier this week. However, Dulac reported earlier this week that a deal for Fields isn’t expected to be “anything crazy. “ With a weak quarterback draft class and no veteran options available who would be an instant upgrade, giving Fields a chance seems to make the most sense.
Sam Darnold might be the best veteran quarterback available, but he struggled in his final two games this season with the Minnesota Vikings. Given that he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record this season, he’s likely to command a higher contract than Fields. Dulac also reported earlier this week that the Steelers don’t have any interest in Aaron Rodgers should he become available, so going the veteran quarterback route with someone outside the organization for the second year in a row seems unlikely.
Justin Fields looked like a much better quarterback than he showed during his time with the Chicago Bears when he started for the Steelers this season as Wilson recovered from a calf injury. He showed better decision-making and only threw one interception in his six starts. Mike Tomlin also said he’d be comfortable with Fields starting in his end-of-season press conference. While there’s no guarantee that Justin Fields can be a franchise quarterback, at a minimum, he’s Pittsburgh’s best option going forward as a bridge quarterback.
Turning back to Justin Fields seems to be the direction the Steelers are heading, but there will still undoubtedly be a lot of speculation about what’s best for Pittsburgh and what they’ll do over the coming months.
