The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of a very important offseason where they had a lot of questions to answer. The biggest question remaining is what the team's plan for the quarterback position in 2024 is? A large part of Steeler Nation is pushing for the team to acquire Justin Fields in a trade, as it appears the Chicago Bears are ready to move on.
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The Steelers are viewed as a top candidate to acquire Justin Fields this offseason.
While adding Fields would a big move that adds a very talented player to the Steelers' quarterback room, it is yet to be seen if there is any interest by them to put a package of picks together that would land them his services.
It is also yet to be seen if Fields would be a good fit in Pittsburgh, and if he would want to spend the majority of his career wearing the Black and Gold.
Steelers Handed Justin Fields His First Loss In Pittsburgh On A Questionable Call By The Refs
While joining is current teammate, Equanimeous St. Brown, on his podcast St. Brown Brothers Podcast, which also features Detroit Lions start wide receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Fields shares that his initial experience in Pittsburgh was less than ideal.
During Fields' rookie season with the Bears, the team traveled to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers on a Monday night game. It was a back and forth game that Fields played well in, throwing for his then-career high, 291 yards, adding another 45 rushing yards on the ground. Ultimately, the Steelers ended up winning on a 40-yard field goal from Chris Boswell on the Steelers' last drive of the game.
With that being said, Fields felted like they were cheated out of a win by the referees that night.
"I'm not going to get fined? I shouldn't get fined here, right," Fields made sure to ask before discussing the refs. "The refs, bro I got to say the refs cheated. They cheated us out of that game, I'm not going to lie. E.Q. [Equanimeous], you weren't there yet. There was a flag at the end of the game, we just got a big play, it was fourth down. We got a linebacker running off the field, the ref looks back, bumps into him, and throws the flag."
For those that don't remember, that linebacker was former Steelers linebacker, Cassius Marsh, and he ended up being called for a taunting penalty after sacking Ben Roethlisberger on a third down which should have stalled the Steelers' drive. Instead, Marsh stared down the Steelers' sideline and then he ended up contacting the referee on accident, drawing the flag. The Steelers would end up ending that drive with a 52-yard field goal by Boswell to take a six-point lead.
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Cassius Marsh made a boneheaded move getting a taunting penalty against his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, after making a big play on defense.
That was Marsh's first game with the Bears, as the Steelers released him prior to the start of the 2021 regular season and the Bears signed him to their practice squad at the beginning of November. Making a play of that nature against your former team, especially in your first game suiting up with your new team, no doubt had Marsh's adrenaline pumping.
While the penalty was a little questionable, the Bears did end up going down the field and scoring a touchdown to take the lead by one, and even got the ball back for a final possession with :26 seconds left. The Bears missed a 62-yard field goal which would have won them the game.
Some may agree Fields got cheated, including his teammate Equanimeous, who remembered seeing the play. However, making contact with a referee is consistently called a penalty, so the refs were staying consistent with their history of calling flags in those instances.
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Steelers will have an opportunity to trade for Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields.
If Fields does end up coming to Pittsburgh in the near future via trade, this will likely end up being a story that comes to light a few more times as Fields discusses his first experience in Pittsburgh.
That game is the lone time Fields has played the Steelers so far in his three year NFL career, and unless he gets traded to someone the Steelers play in 2024, he won't get an opportunity to correct the previous outcome in his eyes.
Did Fields and the Bears get cheated out of a win by the refs against the Steelers in 2021? Let us know in the comments below!
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