Quarterback Justin Fields was a great teammate after the Pittsburgh Steelers benched him following his 4-2 start to the 2024 season. Despite no longer being on the team, Fields has continued being a standup football player.
During his introductory press conference with the New York Jets on Wednesday, Fields once again addressed his Week 7 benching. Fields implied he struggled with Mike Tomlin’s decision to start Russell Wilson beginning on October 20.
However, Fields again ultimately supported his former coach’s choice.
“It was different for me and a space I wasn’t really comfortable,” Fields told reporters, via The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. “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.”
In one season with the Steelers, Fields completed 65.8% of his passes for 1,106 passing yards with five touchdowns and one interception. His completion percentage was a career best along with his interception rate.
Fields also rushed for 289 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Steelers to a 4-2 record as a starter.
In NFL free agency, Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract to join the Jets.
Should Steelers Regret Benching Justin Fields?
Perhaps it’s fitting the Jets waited almost a full month to hold Fields’ introductory press conference. With it held now, Steelers Nation had time to fully reflect what’s happened behind center in Pittsburgh over the past several weeks.
All signs point to Aaron Rodgers signing with the Steelers to start in 2025. Whether that happens for not, Pittsburgh is fully turning over its quarterback room for the second consecutive year.
Fields was one of the major dominos in that happening. Multiple reporters and insiders identified 26-year-old as the main quarterback target for the Steelers this offseason. But the team was unable to agree to a contract before Fields’ agent began negotiating with the Jets.
Depending on the analyst, Rodgers is considered an upgrade over Fields. But at best, Rodgers is a short-term upgrade since he’s 15 years older than Fields.
One has to wonder if Tomlin didn’t bench Fields in favor of Wilson in October, would Fields still be Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback?
Fields Says Benching Didn’t Impact Free Agency Decision
The obvious second part of that question is whether the benching played a role in Fields’ decision not to return to Pittsburgh. If it did, it’s much more likely the Steelers will one day regret the choice to begin starting Wilson.
But Fields made it clear to reporters that the benching didn’t factor much into his free agency decision.
“Not really. You can’t take things personal,” Fields told the media. “At the end of the day, I was just excited about what the Jets had going on here.
“It didn’t have anything to do with Pittsburgh but the opportunity I had here to make an impact.”
It’s much more likely money played a role. NFL reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala reported the Steelers offer to Fields didn’t include any guaranteed money after the first year.
If the Steelers really wanted Fields to return, they likely would have made a more competitive offer. But the question that will remain unanswered is if the benching didn’t happen, would Fields have played well enough for the Steelers to confidently offer him a better deal to stay?
Steelers Nation will never know.
