Steelers Have Bold View of QB Situation

The Pittsburgh Steelers are confident in the state of their quarterback room.

Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) warms up next to quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

In a league where an extraordinary amount of teams are currently in quarterback purgatory, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a pair of players at the position that they have the utmost confidence in.

Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith stated that while Justin Fields is no longer the starter for the team, he still believes he's a top-end talent.

"I don’t view Justin as a gadget guy. We have two starting quarterbacks," Smith said. “I still view Justin as a premium starter.”

Pittsburgh went through a long two years of offensive struggles in 2022 and 2023 after Ben Roethlisberger retired, a lot of which stems from inconsistent play at quarterback.

The organization knew they had to nip their deficiency at the position in the bud this past offseason, and they did so by acquiring two capable options in Fields and Russell Wilson.

Wilson, a 13-year veteran who boasts one of the most impressive resumes of any quarterback in the 21st century, was always the favorite to earn the starting job. That isn't meant to discount Fields, however, as he was a first-round pick in 2021 who flashed star potential as a member of the Chicago Bears.

A competition of sorts broke out between the two once Wilson went down with a calf injury in training camp, though he recovered in time for the beginning of the regular season and thus placed ahead of Fields on the depth chart.

A reaggravation of his calf, however, held him out for the first six contests of the year and afforded Fields an opportunity to make a name for himself in a new destination. He'd lead the Steelers to a 4-2 record and post 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and an interception through the air while adding on 231 yards and five scores as a runner.

Wilson returned ahead of Week 7, and he's a perfect 4-0 thus far with 942 passing yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions.

Fields, who hadn't appeared in over a month, logged two rushes for 17 yards in Pittsburgh's Week 11 victory over the Baltimore Ravens and could force his way into a consistent role on offense in certain situations.

Both signal callers have been vital to Pittsburgh's success, and head coach Mike Tomlin said as much after defeating Baltimore.

"I'm excited about both of these quarterbacks we got on our roster," Tomlin said. "They both are gonna be reasons why we're successful and have been."

Wilson and Fields are set to hit free agency after the campaign concludes, and it's unknown what the future holds for all parties involved.

What is clear, however, is that the duo has helped change the narrative surrounding the Steelers' offense and put the team in position for what could be its first deep playoff run in nearly a decade.

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