The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2024 season with two quarterbacks on one-year deals. As such, when the season ended, the franchise had a tough decision on their hands. They had no interest in bringing Russell Wilson back, but did make an offer to Justin Fields. Ultimately, Fields chose the New York Jets, who simply offered more than the Steelers did.
Even a couple of months later, NBC Sports’ Michael Holley can’t believe the Steelers didn’t offer Fields more money.
“I’m still just flabbergasted that the Steelers didn’t sign Justin Fields to the contract that the Jets did,” Holley said speaking with Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk on Friday. “It’s significant money, but it’s low-risk, and it’s not long-term… It’s reasonable, it’s probably average to below-average [salary], if you compare it to other starting quarterbacks.”
Ultimately, there were a couple reasons Justin Fields may have chosen the Jets. One has to do with the contract specifically. Aditi Kinkhabwala reported earlier this offseason that the Jets guaranteed money past the first year of his deal, while the Steelers did not.
Since joining the Jets, Fields has never said anything close to negative regarding Pittsburgh. His words show that it might not be something he thinks about at all. However, there’s a good chance he felt more secure about his future with New York.
Justin Fields’ value was at an all-time low when the Steelers traded for him last offseason. Then, with Russell Wilson forced to miss time due to a lingering calf injury, Fields got his chance. He was far from perfect, but did well to limit his mistakes and led the Steelers to four victories in six games. You don’t get anything for “almosts” in this league, but even the two losses were competitive.
And yet, Pittsburgh decided to switch back to Wilson despite the strong start. After benching Fields, they proceeded to use him in extremely limited fashion over the rest of the year. He’s spoken about his respect for Mike Tomlin since leaving Pittsburgh. But also said himself that he wasn’t comfortable in 2024. Even if the Steelers matched the Jets’ exact offer, Fields may have picked New York anyway if he felt more comfortable about a route to meaningful snaps.
When the Steelers decided to let Fields walk, they probably didn’t expect to still be waiting for Aaron Rodgers as the calendar turns to June. At this point in the offseason, one has to wonder if they made the right decision. The 2026 NFL Draft is a chance to find their next quarterback. However, if Fields does well in 2025, and Rodgers, or Cousins, or Rudolph doesn’t, a lot of questions will be asked of the Steelers’ decision makers.
Justin Fields will get his first chance to prove Pittsburgh wrong in Week 1, when the Jets host the Steelers to kick off the regular season.
