In Pittsburgh, Justin Fields embarked on a quest for redemption and a shot at securing a prominent role as a top-tier NFL starter. The 2021 first-round draft pick showcased his skills as he took the field as the starting quarterback for the Steelers in their preseason showdown against the Houston Texans on Friday night.
Fields, who was let go by the Chicago Bears after three tumultuous seasons, is now expected to serve as the backup to Russell Wilson. Despite the Steelers falling to the Texans 20-12, the focus at this stage of the NFL season is on execution and progress rather than final scores.
Earning the starting quarterback position, Fields received the majority of first-team snaps during training camp. Wilson, the seasoned 35-year-old quarterback who Coach Mike Tomlin has deemed as having the edge for the starting job, suffered a calf strain during pre-training camp conditioning in late July, only returning to full practice this week.
In his brief appearance, Fields completed 5 of 6 passes for 67 yards, boasting a passer rating of 113.2 through three series. Despite being sacked twice and experiencing fumbled snaps with center Nate Herbig on the first two possessions, Fields and the offense displayed potential on the third drive with an eight-play, 43-yard advance into Texans territory.
Coach Tomlin acknowledged the positives in Fields’ performance, noting, “I thought he and we did some good things, but it was just dulled by some of the negativity,” referencing the botched snaps and penalties. “But from a rhythm passing standpoint, distributing the ball to people, I thought (Fields) and (third-string quarterback) Kyle (Allen) did a nice job.”
After a stint with the Bears where he faced critcism for a 10-28 record as a starter with 40 touchdown passes, 30 interceptions, and an 82.3 passer rating, Fields continued to be scrutinized for his struggles in reading defenses and decision-making on the field.
The Bears’ decision to draft Williams could potentially be a game-changer for Fields’ career trajectory. Finding himself in Pittsburgh, Fields has a chance for a fresh start, despite being behind Wilson on the depth chart.
In the grand scheme of things, Fields’ journey towards redemption and reclaiming his potential as a standout NFL quarterback has only just begun. With the support of his new team and coaching staff, the young quarterback is determined to prove his worth and silence the doubters in his pursuit of greatness on the gridiron.
