While we don't have access to the negotiating table, it doesn't take any inside sources to know how Mike Tomlin felt about former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields. Tomlin is a leader, but he has a prototype for a quarterback he can trust, and Fields never fit that mold. Because of that – and thanks to Tomlin's choice to bench Fields in favor of Russell Wilson despite a 4-2 start to the 2024 season – the Ohio State product signed with the New York Jets this offseason. Fields forgave, but he never forgot.
While most national pundits after focused on Aaron Rodgers narrative heading into Pittsburgh's season-opening road game against the New York Jets, Fields has been left behind. There's good reason for that – Rodgers added some gasoline the Jets already-burning dumpster on his way out. Fields was relatively silent, signing a two-year, $40 million deal with New York that came with a chance at the starting job. New head coach Aaron Glenn, unlike Tomlin, immediately gave Fields a vote of confidence. He is their guy, for better or worse.
Tomlin called the Steelers parting ways with Fields a mutual decision, based on fit and the player's goals. There was a good portion of the Pittsburgh fanbase that wanted to keep Fields around. While Fields flaws are obvious enough by now – he often escapes the pocket too quickly and his pass accuracy limits his potential – he's also a decent match for Arthur Smith's offense. Much like when he led the Tennessee Titans to the postseason with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, the Steelers could've leaned into Fields' strengths, such as his mobility and ability to throw on the run, and built around their rushing attack and defense. Instead, they opted for Rodgers.
What to expect when the Steelers and Justin Fields face off
To his credit, Fields has kept his mind on the game itself, rather than letting it wander to what could have been. The Steelers are in a better position to succeed with the right quarterback than the Jets are. However, given the limited market and opportunities this offseason, there's little doubt Fields made the right choice. He joined a team that, for now, believes in him. This is his real chance to revive his reputation.
"The storyline is crazy. I mean, that's why the NFL set us up for Week 1, just for that. (But) there's no storyline for me," Fields said this week. "It's ball for me, so I'll let you guys kind of handle the storylines, the news lines and stuff like that. In the locker room, we just keep it straight ball."
Fields caught himself at the last minute and avoided saying something he might regret. As for the Steelers and Tomlin, they are dead-set on stopping Fields in the ground game, and thus proving their head coach right in the process.
“He’s stronger than most mobile quarterbacks,” Tomlin said of Fields. “That’s a component of his game that I think is unique. He’s a really talented guy physically. He’s not easy to bring down...But in terms of schematics, I don’t know the things that they do are going to be uniquely different from others. I think there are some global things that people do in that area.”
Justin Fields leaving the Steelers is an indictment against Mike Tomlin
If there is one indictment against Tomlin during his tremendous tenure in Pittsburgh, it's that he has struggled to adapt with the times and develop a young quarterback. Tomlin was blessed to coach Ben Roethlisberger for the first 14 years of his career. With the quarterback position taken care of, Tomlin could focus on the defense and leadership. This formula worked for the Steelers. They won a Super Bowl in Tomlin's second season and made another in 2011-12, where they lost to Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
Unfortunately for Tomlin, players age and eventually retire. It happened with Roethlisberger, who left the game he loves in 2021. Since then, Tomlin's Steelers have tried to find a suitable replacement, but failed miserably with Kenny Pickett, who they selected in the first round back in 2022. Pickett has since played for the Eagles, Browns and now Raiders – proving to be little more than a journeyman backup.
Tomlin runs from quarterback development. He did it with Pickett, who he refused to commit to several offseasons ago. And he pinned his decision to bench a younger Fields in favor of a washed-up Russell Wilson on veteran leadership. These days, both Wilson and Fields play in New York, and the Steelers are banking on another future Hall of Famer in his final years to relive the glory days.
One can argue that Fields would've been the better option, but the intangibles Tomlin is looking for in a QB must be developed over time by a coaching staff that knows how to teach them. Instead, Tomlin has hired some of the worst offensive coordinators in the NFL to oversee what he hopes to be the second coming of Roethlisberger.
The second the likes of Pickett or Fields started to show cracks, he replaced them with a predictable veteran who had a higher floor. In doing so, he lowered the Steelers ceiling and any long-term chances of reviving their glory days.