Steelers QB Justin Fields admits he hasn’t played ‘good enough’ to keep starting job

National Football League

Published Oct. 17, 2024 12:59 p.m. ET

Justin Fields might be losing his spot as the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ starting quarterback to Russell Wilson, but he isn’t sulking about it.

Fields was blunt in his assessment of his play, believing that, though the Steelers are 4-2 and tied for the AFC North lead, he could’ve done more to keep the job.

“I don’t think I’ve played good enough, if I am being real with you,” Fields told reporters on Thursday. “If I am being real with myself, I think if I did play well enough I don’t think there would be any sort of who should be playing and who should not. At the end of the day, we got a few wins and, of course, I am glad about that. But there are areas that I can get better at, and I am going to continue to work on those and continue to get better.”

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has yet to name a starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. However, Tomlin said that Wilson is receiving first-team reps in practice this week as he’s healed from the calf injury that sidelined him for the first six games of the season. Tomlin added that Wilson is “under consideration” to start in Week 7.

Wilson was named the team’s starting quarterback entering the regular season, beating out Fields during training camp and the preseason. But Fields became the starter when Wilson reaggravated a calf injury in a practice leading up to the season opener.

With Wilson out, Fields quarterbacked the Steelers to one of the more surprising starts in the NFL. But the defense has done much of the heavy lifting through the first six weeks, ranking eighth in yards allowed and second in scoring. Pittsburgh’s offense, meanwhile, ranks 26th in yards (298.3 per game) and 20th in scoring (20.7 points per game).

As for Fields, he hasn’t been terribly effective as a passer. He has completed 66.3% of his passes for 1,106 yards (22nd in the league), five touchdowns (tied for 25th) and one interception (tied for second-fewest among quarterbacks who’ve started every game), with a 93.9 passer rating (15th) and 6.9 yards per attempt (23rd).

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Fields has been one of the best running quarterbacks in the league, though. His 241 rushing yards are the fifth among all quarterbacks this season, while his five rushing touchdowns are tied for fifth among all players in the league.

Tomlin said on Tuesday that Fields and the team have been “really good at times,” but noted that it shouldn’t “be confused with great.”

“I want to be 6-0 right now, but it was a great opportunity for me,” Fields said. “Of course, I’m grateful for the opportunity. I did get those first six weeks, and we’ll just see what happens this week.”

Fields added that he’s “just doing the same thing I was doing” and “helping Russ out” as he’s taken a reduced role at practice this week. However, he’s remaining prepared in case his number is called again later this season.

“I think you just never know what happens,” Fields said. “It’s a long season and life is crazy in general, so you just never know.”

The Steelers brought both Wilson and Fields in over the offseason after the team’s struggles at quarterback in 2023. Wilson signed a minimum deal in March after being cut by the Denver Broncos. The 35-year-old Wilson threw for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions to go with 341 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in 15 games last season.

Fields was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears. Pittsburgh gave up a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft that converts to a fourth-round pick if Fields plays in at least 51% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps this season.

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