A fascinating dive into Justin Fields’ leadership of the Steelers.
There’s something in the water in Pittsburgh right now. The Steelers are flying high at 3-0, and central to that is Justin Fields, who has found new life in the black and yellow. Not only is Fields playing the best football of his career, but with each passing week he’s making a case for being the long-term answer the Steelers have been missing at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
Nobody is better equipped to have Fields open up than his own teammate, which makes the new episode of Not Just Football with Cam Heyward absolutely fascinating.
It’s impossible to discuss Fields’ move to Pittsburgh without discussing his time in Chicago with the Bears. Once hailed as the savior of the organization, offensive mismanagement, a lack of receiver talent, and a system that never really meshed with Fields’ abilities led to a disappointing three years.
“It was a lot of ups and downs of course,” Fields says, adding that he loved the city and friends he made in Chicago, but naturally the football side was a disappointment for him. That said, he wouldn’t take back the time there, because it was a chance to grow. When asked what he’d go back and tell himself on draft night knowing what he does now Fields had a profound response: “Don’t expect anything. […] We all try to plan out how things are gonna go, whether it’s a game or life in general. Take it day by day, worry about the task at hand.”
The offseason process was difficult for Fields, who knew he was on the way out of Chicago, but had no idea where. He credits the Bears for allowing him to pick from several interested teams, and despite rumors swirling around Atlanta, he reveals they weren’t one of the teams who were trying to trade for him. Two fascinating names did come up, however, the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens. In both cases the teams had established quarterbacks, meaning he wouldn’t get a chance to even compete for the job — which led him to Pittsburgh.
Heyward noted that he’s seen Fields’ quiet approach to leadership really pay off. He shares a story from training camp where after Fields pulled off a big play he pulled a DB to the side and talked to him about how he failed to hide his blitz, and what he should do as a pass rusher to throw off the quarterback more. Heyward was complimentary of Fields’ approach in this way, with Fields not making a loud presentation to the group, but instead talking one-on-one to a teammate to make him better.
It’s clear that Fields is comfortable, happy, and productive in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have some serious questions to answer about how they plan to involve Russell Wilson now he’s returning from injury, or whether they stick with the hot hand.
There’s plenty more fascinating information from Fields on Not Just Football regarding his high school and college careers, as well as his relationship with Arthur Smith.
