The Pittsburgh Steelers have a number of critical issues to address in the 2025 offseason, but the decision on the starting quarterback is the most vital. Once Russell Wilson was fully ready to go after dealing with a calf injury, Mike Tomlin made the decision to insert Wilson into the starting lineup over Justin Fields, who led the Steelers to a 4-2 start. With both quarterbacks looking for new contracts going into 2025, Art Rooney II said it's in all likelihood that only one of them will re-sign with Pittsburgh.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson warming up before their Week 3 home opener against the Chargers in 2024.
Fields' first six starts of the 2024 season were nothing flashy, but that could have been a result of Pittsburgh's coaching. The passing game wasn't very effective, which led to the conclusion that Wilson might take the offense an extra step. However, many members in the Steelers' building were confident in Fields moving forward after the team's promising start. One of the coaches who reportedly preferred Fields starting over Wilson was Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith, who just finished his first season with Tomlin and the Steelers.
Despite Smith's rumored preference for Fields, Tomlin made the decision to give Wilson the keys to the offense for the rest of the year. That decision seemed golden as Wilson led the team to a 10-3 record, but the five-game losing streak to conclude the season contradicted it. Additionally, it was reported that Smith and Wilson had some bumps in the road as they worked together.
Steelers' insider Ray Fittipaldo recently spoke about the quarterback situation and was asked if the reported issues between Smith and Wilson could influence their next decision.
"[Arthur Smith's] got two years left on his contract, and you would think Arthur would have a big voice in this," Fittipaldo said on Thursday. "Obviously, he didn't in the middle of the season, that was [Mike Tomlin's] call. Mike made it. Mike was up front about that, he kind of said he was out on an island when he made that choice."
Fittipaldo then explained why Fields may have the upper hand or advantage with the Steelers after the front office has had time to reflect on the whole season.
"But once you sit down after the season, you see how things go, you see how the season ended, maybe Arthur's opinion would weigh a little bit more. Maybe other people's opinions, quarterback coaches, receivers coaches, maybe they would have a little bit of input as well. They're not going to be involved in the decision making, but when you add it all up, maybe it does favor Fields a little bit."
It would be very beneficial for the Steelers if Tomlin became more open to the other coaches' ideas as they move forward. The Steelers haven't had great success on offense for some years, and Smith is a guy who led Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans to an AFC Championship game. If Smith believes he can develop Fields, Tomlin should take his words seriously.
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Steelers' Arthur Smith speaks with quarterback Justin Fields during the Colts game in 2024.
The majority of the Steel City is ready to move on from Wilson after how disastrous the end of the season became. In his final press conference of the season, Tomlin acknowledged the importance of quarterback mobility, which is something Wilson is beginning to lose as he gets older. Wilson will be turning 37 years old by November, while Fields turns 26 in March. It doesn't seem likely or logical that the Steelers would sign Wilson to a sizeable contract, but it's still a possibility considering Tomlin went all in on him this season.
Steelers' Justin Fields May Not Have Super Hot Market Which Would Benefit Pittsburgh Greatly
During his segment on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan, Fittipaldo also pointed out that Fields didn't have a big market last year when the Steelers were able to acquire him for a conditional sixth round draft pick. That could be the case again this year, after most teams saw he wasn't lighting up the scoreboard in his six starts. Fittipaldo expects Fields to earn "backup money" as he tests the upcoming free agency, which could mean he's more likely to return to the Steelers, especially if he's the organization's top choice over Wilson.
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Steelers' Justin Fields looks on before a game in 2024.
The Steelers likely need to move on from Wilson and work with younger options. Smith could be much more vocal in those front office discussions moving forward, which would give Fields a possible higher chance of getting a reasonable offer from Pittsburgh.
What do you think? Does Smith need to have a bigger say in who the team's quarterback is in 2025? Let us know in the comments below.
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