The Pittsburgh Steelers started the season with a win against the New York Jets in perhaps the most thrilling morning game on Sunday. It was a Freaky Friday matchup that saw both teams’ former QBs facing off in Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields. Both were neck and neck in terms of effort and production.
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For Fields, he finished with 218 passing yards, a passing TD, and 2 rushing TDs. He also didn’t turn the ball over once. Rodgers, on the other hand, threw for 244 yards and 4 TDs, also without a turnover. It was a fun game that ended in a 34-32 Steelers win, completely unexpected considering the over-under for total points was set at 38.5.
Perhaps the biggest storyline coming out of the game was how good Fields looked despite the loss. He made big plays with his legs, adding 48 rushing yards at 4 yards per carry. We all know Rodgers can sling it. But with Fields both throwing and running, he looked like a dynamic player who had completely evolved.
Fields’ performance was so good that it even impressed Stephen A. Smith.
“Justin Fields shocked the hell out of me,” the analyst stated on First Take. “Because he was throwing some dimes out there. He wasn’t just running with the football… The offense was moving.”
Stephen A. was right on the money. Fields and the Jets weren’t just moving the ball on offense; they were thriving in a new system. They converted 23 first downs to the Steelers’ 19, and almost totalled 400 yards of offense. The only blemish on the report card was the 7 penalties they committed. But if they can clean that up, this Jets unit could be a lot better than expected.
“If [Justin Fields] continues to look like that, I’d be looking at the Steelers like, ‘What’d you let him go for?'”@stephenasmith on Justin Fields having the most impressive debut in Week 1 pic.twitter.com/D2okqNQW2b
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 9, 2025
Stephen A. also went on to say that if Fields continues to play well, he would then question the Steelers’ decision to let him go this offseason.
“If Justin Fields continues to look like that, I’d be looking at the Steelers like, ‘What the hell did you let him go for?’ Even though you got Aaron Rodgers… I mean, he’s considerably younger,” Stephan A said.
We know the storyline coming out of the game was Rodgers and his willingness to call out the Jets for their lack of belief in him. But, even though Fields didn’t win the game, he could say the same thing. The Steelers declined to pick up a $25 million option for him in the offseason. It’s just $5 million more annually than he ended up signing with the Jets for.
Considering that he’s just 26, this could be a massive get for New York, as well as a massive fumble for Steel City. The Jets proved that they wanted Fields when he hit the market by signing him to a $40 million contract. Now, it’s looking like that could be a bargain for a player possibly entering his prime.
The Steelers aren’t too concerned about that right now, however. After all, they won the season opener on the road and should feel good moving forward with Rodgers.
Yet, knowing that it’s very well the veteran QB’s last year in the NFL, it’s hard to imagine why Pittsburgh opted for an older player on his way out when they had Fields right in their laps. Only time will tell, but it could be a mistake that they regret for years to come.
