The quarterback dominoes are beginning to fall in the NFL. Hopefully, that means fans will soon know who will be starting under center for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. Rumors have been flying about all the options available to them. However, at this point, it seems most likely that the Steelers will bring back Justin Fields. Former NFL running back LeSean McCoy believes choosing Fields over Russell Wilson “would be crazy.”
“Why would you be keeping Fields other than to make him a backup, or give him a clipboard, or give him a package to run the ball here or there?” McCoy said Monday on FS1’s The Facility. “He can’t play, can’t throw. He don’t win. Explain to me, from a good franchise and a good coach, why the hell would we keep him?”
That’s a harsh review of Fields, and maybe one that’s a little unfair. While Fields hasn’t lived up to his potential coming out of college, he hasn’t been completely terrible. He probably isn’t their quarterback of the future. However, he could serve as a nice bridge option for them.
Last year, Fields certainly looked better than McCoy suggests. Through six games, he had the Steelers sitting at 4-2 and on top of the AFC North. He made some impressive throws during that stretch, too. Fields still needs to work on seeing the field better, but he can make big throws when called upon.
Compare that to what Wilson gave the Steelers during his 11 starts. At first, he looked like an upgrade over Fields. His deep ball helped unlock George Pickens, and his veteran wisdom seemed valuable. However, things eventually went south. Wilson’s limitations quickly became apparent. McCoy says Fields can’t throw, but Wilson struggled as a passer as well. The gap between them wasn’t huge.
Also, Fields has other skills that make him valuable. At this point, Wilson has been sapped of much of his athleticism. He can still move but not nearly as well as Fields. That mobility helped the Steelers several times during Fields’ tenure as their starter.
Fields is hardly a perfect player. If the Steelers do retain him, he might crash and burn as their starter. However, of the options they have, he’s one of the best. Wilson has just as many flaws as Fields, and might be more expensive, too. Keeping Fields is far from crazy. It might not make the Steelers a contender, but it isn’t a terrible idea. The Steelers could do much worse at quarterback.
