ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced the Pittsburgh Steelers are trending toward benching Justin Fields in favor of starting Russell Wilson against the New York Jets. It’s a questionable move, considering the fact that the Steelers have a 4-2 record with Fields as the starter and just destroyed the Las Vegas Raiders 32-13. However, it’s worth noting the trade that sent Fields from the Chicago Bears to Pittsburgh was a conditional sixth-round pick that could turn into a fourth-round pick if Fields starts 51% of the snaps this season. So the question is, are the Steelers doing the Bears wrong by benching Fields, or is there a bigger picture at play?
It seems to be trending toward Russell Wilson starting Sunday night vs. Davante Adams and the Jets. https://t.co/rJQYi0Roz0
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 16, 2024
The Steelers Are Doing the Bears Wrong by Benching Justin Fields
Possible Reasons the Steelers Benched Justin Fields
The Steelers signed Russell Wilson to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum of $1.21 million. It’s important to remember that Wilson signed with the Steelers before the Justin Fields trade and likely received assurances from the organization that he would start this season. However, Fields took over as the starter after Wilson suffered a calf injury during training camp.
The Steelers’ 4-2 record isn’t solely due to Fields. Yes, he’s played well with 1,338 total yards, ten touchdowns, and only one interception. However, he’s continued to show the same weaknesses from his days in Chicago—struggling to read defenses, holding onto the ball too long, and focusing on only one read. In reality, it’s more accurate to attribute the Steelers’ success to their defense rather than their offense. The Steelers rank 26th in total offense, 28th in passing, and 20th in scoring, while their defense ranks 2nd in points allowed per game, 4th in rushing yards allowed per game, and 8th in total yards allowed per game. For Head Coach Mike Tomlin, the decision to bench Fields likely stems from the offense’s lack of production, not just because of Fields.
Why Bears and Steelers Fans Should Be Furious
The Bears still have a chance to receive a fourth-round pick for Justin Fields because he only needs to play about 11 more quarters to finish the season with more than half of the Steelers’ offensive snaps. However, there’s more than simply having Fields on the field. Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger believes Fields should have stayed the starter, and benching him will only diminish his confidence.
“Where I think you have to be careful is, if you make that change or that switch, you’re basically gonna take his confidence and you’re gonna shoot his confidene down. So then what happens if Russ gets hurt…now you’re asking your quarterback that you just, in a sense, benched to come back in now…If you’re gonna do it, you better be super certain you’re gonna stay with that guy the rest of the season.”
Sure, putting Russell Wilson in as the starter might help the offense, but at what cost? Wilson isn’t the long-term answer at quarterback, and Fields is only 25 and could conceivably be the quarterback of the future in Pittsburgh. Fields is adjusting to a new team, system, and environment, yet it seems Mike Tomlin and the Steelers seemingly want to give up on nurturing him into the long-term starter at quarterback. After the Bears went through all that trouble to send Fields to the “best” possible situation for him instead of getting better draft compensation from another team. This should make Bears fans furious! While Fields didn’t succeed in Chicago, General Manager Ryan Poles sent him to Pittsburgh with hopes of reviving his career. Now, Fields finds himself as the backup with no clear plan for his future.
Main Image: Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA Today Sports
