Football
After an up-and-down tenure with the Chicago Bears, Justin Fields joined one of the most interesting quarterback rooms in football. He began the season as the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers, going 4–2 while throwing for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and one interception along with 289 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.
Fields was ultimately supplanted by the other big-name quarterback that the Steelers added this offseason, Russell Wilson. While most quarterbacks in his position and set to hit free agency would likely be looking for opportunities to become a starter in 2025, that isn’t necessarily the case for the former No. 11 pick. Ahead of Pittsburgh’s season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night, Fields told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he hopes to return next season.
“I want to be here,” Fields said. “I’m kind of tired of learning a new offense every year. This will be my third in four years. Of course I’d love to be back, but that’s all up to God at the end of the day. I’ll be where God wants me to be.”
Fields played fairly well in his starts, but Mike Tomlin ultimately went with the former Super Bowl champion Wilson once he returned from a preseason calf injury. To his credit, Fields has used the opportunity to learn from the sideline and has been extremely complimentary of the veteran signal caller.
“Watching from the sideline, I think I learned a lot in that time,” Fields said. “It changes your perspective. Of course, I’d like to be out there on the field, but I think I’ll look back on this year one day and it’ll all be because of a reason. I’m just trying to take it day by day, learn and get better.”
“Russ has been great,” he added. “Of course, his job is not to mentor me. But anytime I have a question for him, anytime I ask a question he gives me his thoughts on that. I’m always picking his brain on different things.”
The Steelers have decisions to make with both Wilson and Fields once free agency opens. With what is perceived to be a relatively weak 2025 draft class for quarterbacks and a number of teams that could have needs at the position, Fields could still be an interesting reclamation project for teams trying to catch lightning in a bottle the way the Minnesota Vikings have with Sam Darnold and Seattle Seahawks have with Geno Smith in recent seasons.
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