Steelers Projected to Reunite With First-Round Bust

Justin Fields is still under contract with the New York Jets, but it’s safe to assume the former first-round pick will not be on the team at this point next year. Signed to a two-year, $40 million deal, the quarterback started just nine games before losing the job to veteran Tyrod Taylor and undrafted free agent Brady Cook. He averaged just 139.9 yards per game and was one of the league’s least efficient passers by just about every metric.

Fields couldn’t overcome his poor environment, but he’s good enough to compete for a short-term job in the right environment. That could mean a return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Bleacher Report‘s Kristopher Knox recently pitched a reunion between the player and team.

“The Steelers don’t have a long-term answer at quarterback and could use a veteran starter if Aaron Rodgers isn’t willing to return,” Knox writes. “Fields wouldn’t be coming back to the exact same situation after Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach, but he would have some familiarity with the organization and the roster.”

Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers Expected to Reunite In 2026

The biggest hurdle in a Justin Fields reunion is veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. While the four-time MVP isn’t the player he once was, he’s still superior to Fields and seems to have had a positive impact on the coaching staff and the locker room. Pittsburgh would probably welcome a reunion, but Rodgers might not be interested.

For one, Mike Tomlin is gone. Tomlin was a big reason Rodgers signed with the Steelers in the first place, and Rodgers clearly wasn’t happy with his decision to step down. This team lacks the talent to compete for a Super Bowl title, and why would Rodgers want to return to a team likely entering a bit of a rebuild?

Secondly, the new head coach might not want Aaron Rodgers. The team has not yet found its next leader as of this posting, but whoever it is may have a different plan at quarterback. While Pittsburgh probably won’t be able to land a top prospect with their first-round pick, perhaps the new head coach would rather have a younger bridge quarterback.

The Other Options

While his tenure with the Jets did not go well, Justin Fields had a decent run with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Starting six games in place of the injured Russell Wilson, the former first-round pick completed 65.8% of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception while adding 289 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Nobody’s putting him in the Hall of Fame, but he was reasonably efficient in this scheme.

Once again, it will all come down to the next head coach. Justin Fields will be available in the offseason, but he won’t be the only passer on the open market. In addition to the free agents, guys like Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins, and Tua Tagovailoa will be available for next to nothing and could even be cut candidates. There’s a decent chance Pittsburgh’s next head coach prefers one of those names to Fields.