Justin Fields will play for this third NFL team in 2025 after stints with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers.
His time in black and yellow, while brief, wasn't all that bad; in six games as the starting quarterback to kick off the 2024 season, Fields went 4-2 with some respectable statlines under center. However, head coach Mike Tomlin didn't opt to stick with the young QB and instead went with Russell Wilson once the vet recovered from a calf injury. The Steelers would go on to make the playoffs but lose in the wild-card round.
Fields left Pittsburgh to sign with the New York Jets this offseason and addressed Tomlin's decision to bench him during a press conference on Wednesday. He acknowledged the situation didn't make him feel "really comfortable" but he respected the coach's choice.
"It was different for me and a space I wasn't really comfortable," Fields said, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. "But Coach Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team. I'm never going to go against that. I just tried to change my perspective and get better in practice."
It is debatable if the move ultimately did better the Steelers. Pittsburgh got to the playoffs, true, but were on that trajectory with Fields under center. More relevant is that the Steelers were never seen as true contenders due to a complete lack of offensive firepower—something Fields could have helped with as a dual-threat QB who can rip off a long scramble at any time.
Of course, that is neither here nor there in 2025. Fields is off the team and both parties move forward. Kudos to the QB for speaking his mind on the matter.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Justin Fields Got Honest About How Steelers' Benching Made Him Uncomfortable.
