The Pittsburgh Steelers are working on the mechanics of one of their new gunslingers. Quarterback Justin Fields is getting some fine tuning in how he stands in the pocket, per Behind the Steel Curtain.
Pittsburgh is working on Fields' footwork as he leaves the line of scrimmage. The team is hoping to make the young quarterback as comfortable as possible. That fine tuning includes moving where Fields places his feet, so his feet aren't far apart from each other when he goes back to pass.
Fields is one of the new quarterbacks in the Steel City this offseason. While Russell Wilson is expected to be the Day 1 starter, Fields is certainly getting a chance to win the job. The Steelers coaches are working closely with the quarterback, and their goal is to limit negative plays. The team is doing this by having the player use his right foot more when standing in the pocket, instead of his left.
Fields and the Steelers
The Steelers signed Fields this offseason after parting ways with quarterback Kenny Pickett. Fields was added to the roster along with Russell Wilson. Fields played for the Chicago Bears the last three seasons. When healthy, he was a dangerous weapon in Chicago as a dual-threat quarterback.
Fields finished the 2023 season with a career-high 61 percent completion percentage. He also threw a career-low 9 interceptions during the campaign. He finished the year with 2,562 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, but got hurt which caused him to miss several games. The Bears couldn't find a reliable answer at quarterback without him, and finished the season with a 7-10 record. The Bears tied the Vikings for the worst record in the NFC North division.
The Steelers coaches are changing Fields' footwork based on the player's history. Fields says when in Chicago, he was doing something in his mechanics that he had never done before.
“Yeah, it’s more about comfort than anything,” Fields said, per Steelers Now. “I can just close my eyes and play with my right foot forward with no problem. It’s the way I have done it my entire career, aside from the last two years. The coaching staff told me to do what made me the most comfortable.”
Pittsburgh coaches clearly hope that this subtle change will lead to a lot more efficiency in the offense.
Steelers' 2024 outlook
Pittsburgh is entering the 2024 season with a lot of excitement. The team has an entirely new quarterback room, with more experience than last season. Fields joins former Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson in the Steel City, and spring practices should be fun to watch. Both players are competing for the starting job.
The Steelers made the playoffs last season as a Wild Card team. Pittsburgh is one of the most successful franchises in the NFL, but it's been more than a decade since the team made a Super Bowl appearance. Fans are wanting to see the same success the team had in the 1970s, when Terry Bradshaw was leading the club.
Pittsburgh gets its first chance to show fans what their new quarterbacks can do on June 11, when minicamp begins.
