Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has finally acknowledged that he has a QB decision to make in Week 7 with Russell Wilson fully healthy and ready to go — and it’s quite possible that Justin Fields has played his last game as the starting quarterback despite a 4-2 start.
With that in mind, and after a frustrating Tuesday afternoon around the Steelers community on October 15, Fields posted publicly on Instagram. And although his message did not give away how he felt about the potential QB change that was reported by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero a few hours before, Fields addressed his followers, nonetheless.
“God is good. Great team dub, 💫” Fields wrote on Instagram on Tuesday evening, taking a page out of Wilson’s playbook. The post also included photos from the Week 6 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Needless to say, this message caught the attention of Fields’ fans and supporters on social media.
“QB1,” the most well-liked comment read, while another user replied: “You my QB1 regardless.” Similarly, a third fan said: “Steeler Nation wants you as QB1 !!! You deserve it.”
And a fourth jumped to conclusions, asking “why [Pittsburgh is] sitting [Fields]?”
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Says QB Decision May Have Nothing to Do With What Justin Fields ‘Has Done or Has Not Done’
While addressing the media on October 15, Tomlin spoke on Fields’ contributions as the starter, and he made it clear that turning the offense over to Wilson would not be an indictment on the 25-year-old.
“Sometimes it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with what Justin [Fields] has done or has not done,” Tomlin said. “Justin has been an asset to us, man.”
“Last week for example, his ability to utilize his legs, by design and by ad-lib, was a significant component of that game,” the Steelers head coach continued. “[Fields] rushed for 50-plus yards and two touchdowns in-game. We’re appreciative of that. We’re appreciative of how he’s taking care of the ball. But we’re looking at all the people at our disposal the same way we do at any position.”
In other words, Fields has done well, but Tomlin will not assume that Wilson cannot do more without seeing him run the offense first-hand.
“Justin [Fields] has been really good and we’ve been really good at times, but not to be confused with great,” Tomlin noted earlier. “This is a competitive league, man. We’re trying to position ourselves to be that team, and we got a player [in Wilson] with talent who hadn’t had an opportunity to play. So, we’re going to potentially explore those things.”
Per Tomlin, the Steelers will “explore” this QB conversation throughout the upcoming practices and come to a decision closer to Week 7. Pittsburgh is currently preparing for a Sunday Night Football matchup with the New York Jets this weekend.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Admits Justin Fields Is the More Mobile Quarterback
The Steelers offensive line could be one of the key factors in determining which quarterback gives Pittsburgh the better chance to win on Sunday.
With injuries all over the place, some have grown concerned that the less mobile Wilson will not be able to perform behind such an inconsistent unit. Although Tomlin was not overly concerned by the impact of his blockers on QB play, he did admit point blank that Fields is the more mobile option.
“No, he does not,” Tomlin responded after being asked if Wilson has the same mobility as Fields. The veteran HC went on to call Fields’ legs an “X factor.”
The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo expounded on this point on X after the press conference.
“Russell Wilson led the NFL in sacks taken twice over the last five seasons,” DeFabo reminded on October 15, adding: “That’s one of the biggest risks in playing him over Fields, especially as Russ comes back from a calf injury. The Jets have 20 sacks on the year, third most and the fifth-highest pressure rate (39.8%).”
Whether Tomlin wants to state is publicly or not, the offensive line’s current ability to protect the quarterback should have some say in who starts on Sunday. The worse they look in practice this week, the more likely it is Fields retains his job for at least one more outing.
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