Reunion Already A Legitimate Possibility As Steelers' Arthur Smith May Want Justin Fields Back In Pittsburgh

It has been a heck of a few years for the Pittsburgh Steelers when it comes to the quarterback position. Dating back to Ben Roethlisberger's retirement after the 2021 campaign, the organization has been absolutely lost searching for the future Hall of Famer's replacement. Finding a franchise signal-caller is no easy task, but the team has not inched any closer to finding its long-term solution. There was a time during the 2024 season when Justin Fields showed legitimate promise, but he left in free agency to join the New York Jets, inking a two-year contract worth roughly $40 million.

Fields' departure to the Jets has not worked out well for him. The Steelers are likely owed a fourth-round compensatory selection after the quarterback earned the starting job and has played the majority of snaps in 2025. However, the signal-caller was recently benched and may already be on his way out of New York. It's unlikely that the Jets will want to pay a backup the full amount Fields would be owed if he is on the roster in 2026.

The cap implications for the Jets may get complicated, but it might not make sense to have the former first-round pick on the roster once the regular season wraps up. In a fan chat hosted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, someone asked about the prospect of Fields returning to the Steel City. Instead of immediately shutting down the idea, the insider mentioned that Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith may not be against it.

"Anything is possible," Dulac wrote. "Arthur Smith likes him."

While a reunion could be in the cards, it would most certainly be to perform as a backup. On top of that, the Steelers' quarterback situation is all out of whack. Both Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are under contract through 2026, so if Aaron Rodgers retires, there is only one true spot for someone like Fields, who will want an opportunity to compete for a starting job. Dulac already believes the Jets are regretting their decision.

"I bet they wish they didn't guarantee Fields $30 million," Dulac mentioned. "But, then, that's why they're the Jets, the dysfunctional franchise of the NFL."

Overall, a Fields reunion would likely come before the 2026 NFL Draft. If Pittsburgh attempted to trade for, or sign a released Fields, it would certainly show their cards for the big event that will take place in the Steel City. Anything is possible, as Dulac noted, but it would have to be the perfect situation for the quarterback to return to play for the Steelers.

There's another interesting piece to the puzzle here as well. Smith is almost guaranteed to interview for open head-coaching positions once the 2025 season is over. If he would potentially be the biggest driving force behind Fields returning, he would have to still be the team's offensive play-caller. That will all be hashed out in January, but it is a different perspective to consider.

Fields has not been good for New York, and may officially be entering the backup portion of his career. He has had opportunities to thrive with three different organizations and, arguably, his best stint came in Pittsburgh only for him to be benched in favor of Russell Wilson.

Steelers Need To Put A Stop To Band-Aid Quarterback Solutions

Pittsburgh has tried, and failed, since Roethlisberger retired. Replacing him has been much more difficult than anyone originally imagined, which has a lot of eyes on the franchise as a whole. Bringing Fields back would just cause more negative headlines, as the organization won't be able to perform consistently moving forward if the same approach is used year-in and year-out. With that said, it shouldn't surprise anyone if the Steelers are linked to Fields if he is indeed released, or shopped.

Do you think that the Steelers could be at all interested in reuniting with Fields? Let us know in the comments below!

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