Justin Fields is maintaining an optimistic yet resolute outlook.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields is gaining a reputation for being succinct, as demonstrated by his response when asked about the ongoing quarterback competition with Russell Wilson. The general expectation during Steelers training camp was that Wilson was the frontrunner, with Fields needing to surpass him.
When questioned about his standing in the competition, Fields confidently summed up his performance in just eight words, as reported by Brooke Pryor of ESPN: “I think I’ve shown what I can do.”
The story has garnered so much attention that even former players and coaches have weighed in. Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher recently expressed his opinion on The Pat McAfee Show.
“From what I’ve seen, if I were Mike Tomlin, I’d ask myself, has anyone truly set themselves apart?” Cowher remarked. “Justin Fields has made some flashy plays, but you also see an offense still trying to find its footing. I believe running the football will be a big part of their strategy.”
As for Tomlin, he has not been impressed, as he made clear following the Steelers’ 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason game.
“I was very direct with the team about it; [quarterback play] can’t be an issue for us. We need to improve from tonight’s performance. It was better in some areas, but still too inconsistent in others,” Tomlin stated.
Why Justin Fields shouldn’t start for the Steelers
The issue with Fields has always been his inability to quickly read defenses, a problem that dates back to before he joined the NFL. His instinct tends to be to divert his focus from the play and look for opportunities to run. Although he has shown improvement since turning pro, he hasn’t quite managed to progress to the next level.
Fantasy football enthusiasts might value his 2022 stats, where he rushed for 1,143 yards and scored eight touchdowns. However, the Bears ended the season with a 3-14 record, losing 13 of their last 14 games. If the Bears hadn’t been fortunate enough to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they might have given Fields another chance this year in the final year of his contract.
Unfortunately, the Bears evaluated the situation and concluded that pursuing a new contract and taking another shot at finding a franchise quarterback was the better option.
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