A photo emerged on Instagram of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields training with Steelers All-Pro free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick recently in South Florida. The photo was posted by Fields’ content producer Simeon Kelly.
Fields has been working with trainer Curtis Shannon in South Florida this offseason. He was also spotted training with former Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool last week. The two were teammates in Chicago.
Fields displayed his arm strength in a video posted last week on Shannon’s Instagram Story.
Fitzpatrick still has a house in South Florida, so I assume that’s how he and Fields got connected. This is the time of the year when teammates usually orchestrate workouts together before OTAs begin.
Tight end Pat Friermuth said on the Around the 412 Podcast with Zachary Smith of Steelers Now and Tyler Weeks that he and wide receivers Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson all worked out in San Diego.
“I was just down there in San Diego with him working out and throwing routes,” Freiermuth said. “He’s been great at talking to guys and starting to build that connection. He’s a great guy. You can tell the drive and determination that he has to win and come to Pittsburgh and win some playoff games for us. I think he is going to fit our culture and locker room very well.”
Entering this offseason, the Steelers did not even think that Wilson and Fields would become team members. One or the other is possible, but not both. However, a trade of Kenny Pickett made that all possible, and now the team has an entirely new quarterback room.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised Fields’ upside and potential at the NFL owner’s meetings last month.
“Oh my god, man, he oozes talent and potential,” Tomlin said of Fields. “He’s worn the responsibility of being the franchise quarterback, but still gets to come into a community situation to learn from a guy that’s been doing it for over a decade. There’s a lot of meat left on that bone and I’m excited about working on extracting it.”
Tomlin broke down the process to add to their quarterback room, why the club ended up trading Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, and how Fields will be allowed to compete with Wilson for the starting role at some point this offseason. Wilson is the Steelers’ starting quarterback right now, but Fields will be given a chance to show what he can do it competition this summer.
“We’re not resistant to competition, but as I’ve mentioned several times of late, I just think it’s appropriate to establish positioning as we get into this thing. The term that I’ve used is Russell has pole position,” he said.
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