Justin Fields: ‘I don’t think I played good enough’ to ensure holding Steelers' QB1 role

Following orders, Justin Fields declined to overtly confirm he has been demoted to second string on the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks depth chart this week.

But Fields openly discussed his approach to the apparent change in his status as the Steelers prepare to host the New York Jets on Sunday night.

After shepherding the Steelers to a 4-2 record while he posted a 93.9 passer rating, 66.3% completion rate and accounted for 10 touchdowns, Fields is watching while Russell Wilson takes first-team reps this week.

Is it a source of frustration to Fields to have played well but still lose his starting job?

“I mean, I don’t think I played good enough, if I am being real with you,” Fields said before Thursday’s practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “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 play? Who should not?’ ”

Justin Fields, answering questions about his apparent demotion to Steelers QB2 pic.twitter.com/mGfpC2cQZI

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 17, 2024

Fields is not wrong in that he would of course still be the starter if, for example, he led the NFL in touchdown passes and won all his starts for the highest-scoring team in the league. Two decades ago this month, a young Ben Roethlisberger usurped Tommy Maddox on the depth chart by way of his play while the latter was injured.

But as offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said Thursday, no two quarterback controversies are ever the same. The situations and circumstances differ. And while Fields took the high road in blaming himself for his demotion, other prominent members of the Steelers offense said the Steelers’ ostensible change in quarterback is not necessarily a condemnation of Fields.

Smith said the 25-year-old Fields was being “a little too hard on himself.”

“That’s why you love working with Justin,” Smith said. “That’s real. That’s not just something cliched that some QB guru or somebody along the way told him to say.”

Wilson, a Super Bowl winner who is 10 years Fields’ elder, said “Justin has done a great job. I think he’s a tremendous quarterback.”

Added running back Najee Harris: “Justin said he wasn’t doing the best he can, but I think he did the best he possibly can. I think he did a really good job. I know what he was trying to do, but it’s me saying publicly that we’re all proud of him. ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself. We got your back. I got your back.’ All 11 have to pitch in and be in there. We need both (quarterbacks), for sure.”

Fields all season has remained second string on the Steelers’ official depth chart, for whatever that procedural document is worth. Tomlin has declared since early spring Wilson in “pole position” to be his starter. A calf injury suffered on reporting day to training camp that was aggravated three days before the regular-season opener had limited Wilson and given Fields an opportunity to lead the Steelers offense.

The No. 11 overall pick by Chicago in 2021, Fields was 10-38 as the Bears starter. He was acquired in March in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick.

“I think Justin’s done a good job,” Smith said. “By no means is anybody perfect around here, but it’s about winning.”

Fields, a four-year NFL veteran, said all the right things in his first media availability since Tomlin on Tuesday said Wilson would be working with the first-team offense. While his body language perhaps projected less energy, Fields spoke positively on his approach to the week.

“I know that I am preparing the same (as if I’m starting),” Fields said.

The even-keeled Fields has repeated a mantra this season expressing he won’t let the highs get him too high or the lows bring him down too low.

“I think it’s a lifestyle,” Fields said Thursday. “It’s not something you do in a week — you don’t really choose when to do it. I think it’s just the way I am and kind of how I operate.”

Fields said he’s open to special packages put into the game plan by Smith that might take advantage of his skill set.

Fields used the past tense in referencing his time as a starter while he was offering an overall assessment of his play through six weeks. It generally mirrored the team performance — the Steelers are tied for first place in the AFC North but have topped 20 points offensively only twice.

“At the end of the day, we got a few wins,” Fields said. “Of course, I am glad about that. (But) there’s areas that I can be better at, and I am gonna continue to work on those and continue to get better.”