The Pittsburgh Steelers did not trade for Justin Fields to make him their starting quarterback in 2024-25. That is Russell Wilson’s job. But just because the Steelers don’t intend to start Fields, Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has other plans for his newest X-Factor.
While Fields has not regularly demonstrated the ability to lead a high-powered scoring assault through the air as a quarterback, he has proven to be a dangerous runner. Combine the two skill sets, and with some more growth, the Steelers could have a weapon on their hands.
Fields has only one year left on his deal, so the Steelers intend to get as much performance as they can from the former first-round choice this season. They might engage the 25-year-old in the red zone and on goal-line scoring situations.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, this is precisely what the Steelers have been working on with their new weapon.
“I’ve talked to multiple teams now who expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to get a little weird at the goal line with Justin Fields, maybe have a package or two for him ready to go where he can be a runner or a thrower out of the shotgun.”
“Remember, when he was with the Tennessee Titans, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith used Derrick Henry as a runner and shotgun passer. So Fields, with his quarterback background, is more than capable of handling it.”
Derrick Henry and Justin Fields have a significant weight difference (approximately 20 pounds), but both are dynamic athletes. Fields has slightly faster acceleration and top speed, but Henry possesses the brute force and pure strength to move a pile. Still, given Fields’ talent, he should be a formidable weapon in Pittsburgh.
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