QB Justin Fields probably had a good idea of what situation he was getting into when the Pittsburgh Steelers traded for him last offseason. The Steelers had signed QB Russell Wilson less than a week before and had traded QB Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles approximately 24 hours before the trade.
Sure, head coach Mike Tomlin talked about the potential for a quarterback competition. But Tomlin also said Wilson had the “pole position” more times than could be counted. And while Fields started the season due to Wilson’s injury, that all changed in Week 7. And Fields barely saw the field again in 2024.
It stands to reason that Fields wants a bit more of a guarantee in 2025.
“This one’s complicated because I do know that there’s some sentiment in the building for bringing back Justin Fields,” said insider Jeremy Fowler on the Friday afternoon edition of SportsCenter. “Both sides, Fields and the Steelers, are certainly open to a potential reunion. Fields wants a realistic shot to start. He wants a clear path to be the guy for the full season, which he was not last year.”
Looking back on the 2024 season, it’s obvious that Tomlin wanted Russell Wilson as the starter all along. He wanted both quarterbacks, no doubt. But the expectation was for Russell Wilson to start and take the team as far as it could go.
It just so happened that Wilson suffered two injuries before the season started, throwing a wrench into those plans. Justin Fields handled it all quite well. He worked hard, showed improvement, and didn’t throw any sort of a fit in the media or locker room when Tomlin made the switch for Week 7.
Fields had a career-high 65.8 completion percentage while helping the Steelers start the season 4-2. So it makes sense he would feel like he’s earned a shot at starting in 2025. Or, to use Tomlin’s own term, to at least hold the pole position in a quarterback competition somewhere.
The biggest obstacle? Steelers insider Mark Kaboly thinks Art Rooney II prefers Russell Wilson rather than Justin Fields. And, at least at one point, Mike Tomlin preferred Wilson as the starter, too. Perhaps the five-game losing streak changed that for Tomlin. But there are certainly elements in the organization that want Justin Fields back in 2025.
And Justin Fields seems open to that, but he’ll want some assurances first.
