Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers named Russell Wilson starting quarterback for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. But that doesn’t mean fellow signal caller Justin Fields won’t see the field at all.
No, the Steelers don’t plan on fulfilling early offseason rumors of Fields as a kick returner. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin warned Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris that the Steelers could still deploy Fields behind center even with Wilson starting.
“My friend Raheem Morris better be ready for a Justin Fields package,” Tomlin said on The Rich Eisen Show on August 28. “I’ll just say that.
“I don’t want to disclose any strategic approaches, but there’s probably too much talent to be sitting around watching all day.”
Fields is known as one of the most athletic quarterbacks around the league. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry with 14 rushing touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons.
Offensive Package Specifically Designed for Justin Fields?
Wilson will begin the season behind center for the Steelers. He will be trying to win his first Week 1 start since the 2021 season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Ironically, Wilson had one of his best Week 1 performances of his career at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Against the Falcons to open the 2020 season, Wilson went 31 of 35 passing with 322 yards and 4 touchdowns.
But Fields brings an element that Wilson can’t really provide at 35 years old — a running ability.
Fields led the NFL with a 7.1 yards per carry average in 2022. Last season, he ran for 657 yards while averaging 5.3 yards per attempt.
If the Steelers are serious about deploying a Fields-centric offensive package, they could do so in short-yardage or goal line situations. Three of his 4 rushing touchdowns last season were from inside the 10-yard line.
His last rushing touchdown in 2023 came against the Falcons. Although Atlanta has changed coaching staffs since that game, the Falcons have a lot of the same defensive players that Fields exploited in that contest.
Fields ran for 45 yards with the touchdown while throwing for 268 yards and another score against Atlanta in Week 17 last year.
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Bluffing Falcons’ Raheem Morris?
It’s worth discussing the possibility that the Steelers head coach was just having some fun with Eisen on August 28. Tomlin smiled while talking about his friend Morris.
Tomlin and Morris coached together on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive staff from 2002-05.
It’s possible Tomlin only mentioned a Fields-centric package to tease his friend. The other thing a potential Fields package creates is the need for Morris’ defense to prepare for Fields on top of Wilson.
Tomlin, though, was creating that need even before appearing on The Rich Eisen Show.
“I know you guys might have some questions about the potential of package football given his skillset, and that’s certainly on the table,” Tomlin told reporters on August 28. “But I’m not going to get into many details regarding that or things of that nature because it doesn’t help us from a competitive advantage standpoint.
“But make no mistake, his talent, his unique talent as it pertains to mobility is something that we’re open to weaponizing although I have acknowledged that Russ is QB1.”
The Falcons will find out how “open” the Steelers are to using Fields in “package football” during Week 1 on September 8.
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