The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to invest only late-round draft capital on a quarterback when the decision was made to select Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While the team continues to wait on a decision from Aaron Rodgers, a lot of pressure is being put on the organization for how it has handled arguably the most important position in all of sports. If the season began today, Mason Rudolph would likely be the starter, which has led to the franchise getting a lot of criticism from the national media, especially because the team allowed Justin Fields to walk in free agency.
Fields inked a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Jets. He has never fully proven himself as a starting signal-caller in the NFL, so it's possible that the Steelers didn't think he was worth that kind of money. The quarterback will be set on proving Pittsburgh wrong, and if it is a bad year in the Steel City, but a good one in New York, the decision-makers in Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin will feel some heat.
No one will truly know if the Steelers made a good decision or not to allow Fields to leave until the end of the regular season. With that said, he is already generating some hype while working out with his new teammates.
Fields has never been the most prominent passer during his time in the NFL. He has had the advantage of making plays with his legs, but if he progresses when it comes to throwing the football, he could be an extremely formidable quarterback. The clip from X posted above is short, but it appears as if Fields is smooth while working in transition. He could make the Steelers look extremely stupid if he has a phenomenal year for the Jets.
Another key piece to the puzzle is that New York did not draft a signal-caller. With a 35-year-old in Tyrod Taylor as the backup, the decision to pass on selecting someone at the position shows just how confident the Jets are that Fields is going to be their guy for the entire season. Pittsburgh's brass will be heavily criticized if a Pro Bowl season commences in New York for the former first-rounder.
Fields is going to have the opportunity in New York that he never received in Pittsburgh. He is the unquestioned starter and has some serious weapons on the offensive side of the ball to help him succeed in 2025 and potentially beyond.
The Steelers deciding not to re-sign Fields was a respectable move given the price tag, but if he ends up having a phenomenal campaign and earns a huge long-term deal from the Jets, it will be looked at as a drastic failure in the Steel City. There is plenty of time before the regular season ramps up, but Fields already is looking like a determined individual. The videos of him throwing look promising, and his running ability will enhance his game even more.
Steelers' Fan Base Is Getting Tired With Quarterback Controversy
Pittsburgh has had no clear answer at the signal-caller position since Ben Roethlisberger retired. As each year passes, it becomes more clear that any franchise that wants to compete for a Super Bowl needs an unquestioned starter at the quarterback position. It appears as if 2025 will be another season of controversy, and the organization needs to figure out a long-term plan sooner rather than later.
