Steelers May Have Escaped A Nightmare As Jets' Justin Fields Struggles Big Time

The Pittsburgh Steelers had several different options they could have gone with at quarterback for the 2025 season. They had both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson on the roster in 2024, and each quarterback got opportunities to start throughout the season. While both showed promise at times, neither did enough to convince Pittsburgh to commit long-term. The team treated the situation as a one-year experiment, and once the season ended, both quarterbacks moved on.

Wilson signed with the New York Giants, while Fields secured a two-year, $40 million deal from the New York Jets, with $30 million guaranteed. The Steelers reportedly had interest in keeping Fields, but not at that price. Letting him walk may have been a tough decision, but early reports from Jets training camp suggest Pittsburgh might have made the right call after all.

On Tuesday, Jets reporter Connor Hughes attended practice and gave a less-than-encouraging update. According to Hughes, Fields’ passing was bad throughout the session. It is just one camp report, so it would be unwise to overreact, but for Steelers fans still second-guessing the decision to move on from Fields, this might offer a little reassurance.

"The Jets practice is over," Hughes told his following on social media. "Bad day for the offense. Run game was solid, but passing is not good at moment. Justin Fields finished 9 of 17 with 2 interceptions. I did not have a completion beyond five air yards. He took three sacks. Stats do not include 1 of 4 passing with an INT in 7o7 period. Fields has had a rough go of it lately. He is 15 of 43 passing (34%) with the two INTs in full-team work his last three practices."

While training camp stats can be difficult to interpret, since it’s often unclear whether the Jets were calling low-percentage plays or if there were other factors behind Fields’ weak showing, some concerns are impossible to ignore. The two interceptions Fields threw are extremely worrisome, especially combined with the fact that he took several sacks. Steelers fans caught glimpses of similar issues when Fields was with the Steelers. He has a tendency to break the pocket too quickly, which often puts him in harm’s way. Unfortunately, it appears this habit has followed him to Jets camp.

It was a really tough day for Fields, and although one poor practice does not mean the Steelers completely escaped a nightmare scenario, it does provide some insight. This performance might help explain why Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan quickly realized that Fields’ steep price tag was simply not worth it for Pittsburgh. For Steelers fans, it is a reminder that sometimes tough decisions come down to more than just talent. They involve weighing risks, costs, and long-term potential.

Steelers' Week 1 Contest Against The New York Jets Set To Feature Several Revenge Narratives

In the NFL, a good revenge narrative can really sell a game. In Week 1, the league wasted no time delivering a great revenge matchup. The new-look Steelers will have Aaron Rodgers go up against his former team, the Jets. The Jets told Rodgers they didn’t want him, and the Steelers told Fields they didn’t want him at his current market value.

One quarterback is going to get a chance to prove one team made the incorrect choice. That matchup is going to generate a lot of hype, but if Fields doesn’t figure things out soon, Rodgers may be getting the last laugh early in the NFL season.

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