Steelers Could Reintroduce Justin Fields Into Offense

There may be a path towards more playing time for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields in the playoffs.

Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Amidst a four-game losing streak as the Pittsburgh Steelers enter the postseason, head coach Mike Tomlin is receptive to the idea of mixing things up at quarterback in the Wild Card round against the Baltimore Ravens.

During his press conference on Monday, Tomlin said that he's "certainly open to utilizing" Justin Fields more in the near future while noting that his recent decrease in usage was more so a product of his abdominal injury rather than him simply falling out of favor.

He also declared that he's open to "any combination or combinations of the division of labor" between Fields and Russell Wilson in an attempt to give Pittsburgh its best chance at pulling off an upset win over Baltimore.

Fields started the first six games of the year for the Steelers while Wilson managed an ankle injury. He led the team to a 4-2 record over that stretch while throwing for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception, though it wasn't enough to remain atop the depth chart.

Wilson's tenure with Pittsburgh began with a bang as he looked like his vintage self while the team went 6-1 over his first seven starts. As we know, however, their current skid has exposed some weaknesses for both him and the entire offense with no real signs of an impending turnaround.

Tomlin stated that Wilson's recent performances have been far from perfect, though he believes that the Steelers' struggles don't all fall on him.

"I think it's reflective of all of our performances over the last month," Tomlin said. "It's been spotty at best. But again, during that time period we've been 0-4 and so that's not an earth-shattering statement."

Fields has logged 13 total snaps while rushing for 58 yards since exiting the starting lineup in Week 7, though he's proven to be effective when handed the keys to the offense. Pittsburgh does run the risk of him coming out a bit cold as a passer should he receive significant reps against Baltimore alongside Wilson, but the team badly needs a shake-up, and he's the clear answer in that regard.

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