Over this NFL offseason, former Bears quarterback Justin Fields has been fighting to become the Steelers starting signal caller over veteran Russell Wilson.
The Steelers decided on their starting quarterback on Wednesday, announcing Wilson as the starter.
Coach Tomlin has named Russell Wilson as the starting quarterback. pic.twitter.com/REWKkybpNo
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 28, 2024
Wilson has held the pole position this entire offseason to become the starter. A calf injury early in the Steelers’ preseason slate opened the door for Fields, who took first-team reps in preseason games and practice. But Fields didn’t prove enough to head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
This holds an impact for the Bears, who traded Fields to the Steelers for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick. Should Fields play 51% of snaps for the Steelers this season, their sixth-round pick will turn into a fourth-round pick. That’s quite a significant jump, but it doesn’t appear likely as Fields will start the season on the bench.
Tomlin assured the media during the preseason that the fight to be the Steelers’ starting signal caller is a competition.
“It very much is a competition,” Tomlin said Wednesday of the starting quarterback position. “What happens in the stadium is weighted heavier than what happens in a practice setting because it’s more game-like.”
Fields quickly embraced his newfound competition since arriving in Pittsburgh. His competitive spirit shined, as Tomlin opted to compliment him for showing up every day ready to work.
“I think he just comes to compete every day,” Tomlin said. “He’s got an awesome competitive spirit. We’ve got a competitive environment and it seems like he’s enjoying it. He’s doing a really good job of acclimating himself to it and his teammates and letting his talent show.”
In the preseason, Fields completed 19 out of 27 passes (70.4%) for 199 passing yards. He threw for zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. But watching the games, it’s evident Fields has a poor tendency to bail out of the pocket. His inability to anticipate routes is a glaring weakness in his game, still.
One of the points of emphasis the Steelers have made in Fields’ development is his footwork. Fields was notorious for poor footwork when he was with the Bears. When he got to Pittsburgh, he changed his starting stance in the shotgun formation.
Tomlin has since reported he feels Fields has improved his footwork.
“He just had to focus on his footwork in the pocket,” Tomlin said. “Body balance. The posture in which he throws from has been a point of emphasis for him going into the offseason. And I’ve just seen the fruit of that labor from the attention he’s given it.”
There’s no doubt Fields is on the right path under Tomlin, Smith and Wilson. This season could be hugely beneficial for his development to learn and continue getting NFL reps under his belt.
But he’ll have to do that from the sidelines, as Wilson will see all of the snaps to start the season.
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