Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made headlines earlier this week with an endorsement of Justin Fields, hoping the team re-signs him for 2025. A chance to grow in a second year and gain a true understanding of his ceiling and place as the Steelers’ quarterback. While many fans appreciated the thought, one former NFL player thinks it was a selfish statement. Ex-Green Bay Packers WR James Jones thinks Roethlisberger is serving what’s best for him. Not the team.
“Big Ben know they ain’t going to the Super Bowl with Justin Fields,” Jones said on FOX Sports’ The Facility Thursday. “So he knows they gonna be able to talk about me, Big Ben, and my Super Bowl team for 10 more years. Because we all know Justin Fields is not the quarterback to take us to the Super Bowl.”
Jones compared it to his playing days and old heads from previous Packers Super Bowl champs who felt a twinge of disappointment when Green Bay hoisted a Lombardi in 2010, beating the Steelers do so. Veterans who felt their championship run would be forgotten by the most recent victory.
It’s a weighty charge from Jones. And though it might be understandable in a narrow scope, Roethlisberger praised Fields and Wilson throughout the 2024 season. His endorsement certainly appeared sincere and reasonable and he’s hardly going against the grain of wanting to see what Fields can do with stability and a full year starting. Most of the fan base supports re-signing Fields.
Instead, Jones thinks Roethlisberger should’ve ridden the fence.
“He knows that there’s no Super Bowl appearance or championship coming from Justin Fields. So Big Ben will be relevant, and his Super Bowl teams will be relevant,” Jones said. “Why would you want Justin Fields over Russell Wilson and endorse him? Why wouldn’t you say, ‘Man, whoever the Steelers choose, they got my support.'”
Roethlisberger’s Footbahlin podcast was created to keep him close to the game and weigh in on the Steelers throughout the season. While he’s offered his take, his critiques and comments haven’t been outlandish and his takes aren’t reactionary the way many cable shows, like The Facility, can often be.
At its core, Jones disagrees with the premise Fields is the Steelers’ best option.
“Russ does give them a better chance,” he said. “Or maybe even a drafted quarterback or a different free agent quarterback gives them a better chance. But you’re endorsing this dude because you know that he can’t take him to the Super Bowl.”
Reality suggests no matter who Pittsburgh chooses at quarterback, Fields, Wilson, or an outsider, its Super Bowl odds won’t improve.
In a world where everyone has a take for something, Jones has resorted to criticizing someone for the sake of an opinion. Truthfully, it feels like Jones is intentionally playing the other side here, giving a counterargument and making something out of nothing.
Because until free agency gets going next week, there’s still not much for the football world to discuss. They’ve rehashed the same Fields vs. Wilson debate for weeks now and Jones seems to be trying to freshen up the conversation with an odd accusation aimed at Roethlisberger’s motives. Of all the debated topics these talk shows have drummed up, this one is easily the dumbest.
