Steelers Disagreed With Mike Tomlin's Last QB Move

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have missed out on Justin Fields this offseason in part to their decision during the 2024 season. Fields, who entered last season on the final year of his rookie contract after being traded to Pittsburgh from the Chicago Bears, started the season as the starter. But he ended it on the bench, and not everyone in the building supported the move.

The Steelers started the season 4-2 behind Fields after Russell Wilson suffered a calf injury in training camp and then aggrevated it during practice before Week 1. Fields scored 10 touchdowns during that span and threw just one interception, but was still benched in Week 7 once Wilson was healthy enough to play.

Sports Illustrated's NFL insider Albert Breer revealed that not everyone inside the building agreed with that decision.

"I think people (in Pittsburgh’s organization) would tell you that the Russell Wilson thing undermined so many things in the last month of the season, and that a lot of that building really wanted them to go back to Justin Fields," Breer said on the Bill Simmons Show. "(Steelers head coach Mike) Tomlin was kind of all on his own on that one."

Tomlin was very open during the season that the decision to roll with Wilson was his. Wilson started hot but the Steelers ended up losing five in a row to end the year, with Wilson finishing 6-5 on the season.

"It was different for me and a space I wasn’t really comfortable. But Coach Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team," Fields said after leaving the Steelers. "I’m never going to go against that. I just tried to change my perspective and get better in practice."

Now, Pittsburgh is looking for a new quarterback, and waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make his decision, after Fields went to the New York Jets instead of re-signing. Wilson also ended up in New York, signing a one-year deal with the Giants.