Mike Tomlin is staying with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the coach recently left the door open for wholesale quarterback change going into the 2025 NFL season. Accordingly, all signs point to veteran Russell Wilson exiting via free agency, as noted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and backup Justin Fields taking over.
It’s “highly unlikely both will be re-signed,” Gerry Dulac wrote Saturday, reporting that Wilson initially joined the Steelers on a one-year deal with “both sides” intending to strike a longer-term deal after the 2024 campaign. After Wilson lost his last five starts, including the Steelers’ wild-card playoff defeat, odds are Fields “will be given the job” after flashing progress in relief of the injured Wilson to open 2024.
Dulac’s assessment comes days after Mark Kaboly, Steelers correspondent for “The Pat McAfee Show,” indicated offensive coordinator Arthur Smith preferred Fields over Wilson during the 2024 season.
Fields, 25, is also a pending free agent. He did, however, draw generally high marks for his 4-2 record as Pittsburgh’s starter to open the season, throwing five touchdowns to one interception with a career-best 65.8% completion rate. After Wilson returned from a preseason calf injury, Fields only saw limited snaps off the bench, even as the Steelers dropped from 10-3 to 10-7 and out of the playoffs.
Prior to arriving via trade last offseason, Fields spent most of his first three NFL seasons as the Chicago Bears’ starter, showcasing elite mobility — as evidenced by a 1,100-yard rushing season in 2022 — but struggling with turnovers. His appeal in Pittsburgh, therefore, would be multifaceted: Not only does he have extensive experience as an NFL starter, including in the Steelers’ system, but he’s much younger than Wilson, offering higher upside than many of the veterans set to be available this offseason.
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