Justin Fields will finally get to prove why the New York Jets chose him over the aging and seemingly washed up quarterback that’s now headed to Pittsburgh. The Steelers and Aaron Rodgers are finally coming to an agreement just days before mandatory camp starts and of course, the Jets and Steelers meet Week 1.
This isn’t just a chance for Rodgers to prove to New York they made a mistake, but for Fields to get the best revenge he can against the team that just gave up on him. Pittsburgh traded for Fields a year ago, just to let him walk in the offseason because they weren’t willing to pay him. The problem with that is Fields didn’t look terrible in his six starts wit the team.
Considering he didn’t even have full reins to run the offense he was 4-2 as a starter in 2024 with 1,106 yards and five touchdown passes with one interception. He also had 289 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. The Jets made quick work of Pittsburgh’s scraps and gave Fields a prove it deal, worth $40 million over two years.
What better way to prove he’s valuable and the Steelers were foolish than to show out Week 1 against the quarterback he replaced.
Who won the QB swap: Steelers-Jets Week 1 matchup will prove which team was right to ditch their former quarterback
As much as Week 1 will be about Rodgers and his effort to prove the New York Jets were wrong to jettison him this offseason, it will equally be about Fields proving the Steelers were wrong to not believe in him. The Steelers weren’t willing to meet his price point for some odd reason and now he gets his revenge.
This could very well be one of the best games of the season just because it’s two, motivated quarterbacks facing their former teams with a chance to prove them wrong. Rodgers has every reason to prove New York wrong as he never got a chance to prove himself to the new coaching staff.
And Fields, he’s the younger, flashier player that hasn’t gotten the respect he deserves after being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. This season was always going to be about proving he deserves to be a starter in the NFL. He spent the first three seasons of his NFL career with a team that wasn’t willing to build around him.
Now he has a team that not only prioritizes him, but is willing to set him up or success. The Bears didn’t do that and the Steelers refused to do it. Now he’ll have the last laugh. Week 1 sets the tone for the season for a variety of reasons, but for Fields, it could put the rest of the NFL on notice and more importantly, his former team.