The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone through a carousel of quarterbacks since the retirement of future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger. Steelers general manager Omar Khan doubled up at the position in 2024, signing veteran Russell Wilson in free agency and acquiring former first-round pick Justin Fields in a trade.
Both quarterbacks possessed similar flaws, but they were on opposite ends of their careers. Wilson was far more polished and had the experience to provide consistency, which earned him the starting role. Wilson missed the first six games of the season with a calf injury, which allowed Fields to begin the year as the starter. The fourth-year quarterback led the team to a 4-2 record but was still relegated to backup duties once Wilson was healthy enough to return to the lineup.
Initially, starting Wilson appeared to be the right decision — the 36-year-old veteran led the Steelers to a 6-1 record over his first seven starts. Then, a late-season collapse resulted in another disappointing campaign for the team. The Steelers were trounced by the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round, marking their fifth consecutive postseason loss in the past eight years.
Cameron Heyward wanted Justin Fields as the Steelers’ quarterback
Wilson’s late-season performance made it clear that he wasn’t a viable option for 2025, but Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward was hoping to see the team give Fields another chance. Instead, Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Jets.
During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Heyward seemed to suggest that the Steelers made a mistake by moving on from Fields.
“First of all, Justin’s a class act," Heyward said on Friday. "He’s a guy that works his tail off and wants to lead by example. I was kind of bummed it didn’t work out here. I thought we were going to have a chance to get him. But, I know that dude is going to dominate in New York. He's going to give that team a good chance."
Although Fields provided untapped potential, there have been questions about whether his potential can be tapped at all. The 25-year-old is a dynamic dual-threat weapon, but he has struggled as a passer. Fields often holds onto the ball too long, struggles to process the field and is prone to poor decision-making. Those flaws would likely begin to irk Steelers standout wide receiver George Pickens, who had two of his three worst statistical performances of the season with Fields at the helm.
Regardless of Fields’ limitations, Pittsburgh’s plan to move on from their quarterbacks hasn’t gone well so far. The Steelers brought back quarterback Mason Rudolph in free agency, but he remains the only quarterback on the roster. Pittsburgh also doesn’t possess a high pick to select a successor in the 2025 NFL Draft, which is considerably weak at the quarterback position.
At this stage, the only realistic option at quarterback seems to be quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP would likely provide an upgrade at the position, but he is no longer the player he used to be. At age 41, Rodgers is the oldest active player in the league, and he took a clear step backwards during his two-year stint with the Jets. Hes also no guarantee to sign with Pittsburgh — Rodgers has received interest from the New York Giants, and he’s been dragging his feet when it comes to making a decision in free agency.