When Russell Wilson was struck by an injury at the start of the season, Justin Fields gave the Steelers the head start they needed. He kept the team’s playoff dream alive with a 4-2 record, something not many would have expected if he had played for the Bears. However, after Wilson recovered and made his comeback, the reins of the offense were no longer in Fields’ hands. And it only got worse by the time Wilson started his second game.
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Prior to Pittsburgh’s matchup against the Giants (Week 8), Fields was designated as “inactive.” He was set to serve as the emergency third QB, as per Adam Schefter. Kyle Allen was thrust into the backup position, while Wilson remained the starter.
The announcement, though surprising, follows the signal caller’s hamstring issue, due to which he was listed in the team’s injury report. However, the injury seems to be mild since the 25-year-old was a full participant in all practice sessions before the game. More likely, it seems that the Steelers wanted to give the quarterback some rest and recovery time with the upcoming bye week.
However, with Wilson already taking over as the starter in Week 7, and now Fields falling to the third emergency QB position, fans can’t help but speculate if a trade is on the horizon. Some also argue that it was unfair to replace Fields, especially given his promising performance in the first six weeks.
What is going on is he getting traded @steelers #SteelersNation #NFL #NFLPlus #JustinFields pic.twitter.com/9X34hm0sDc
— Aaron ⚓ ⚾️ (@bowling23) October 28, 2024
Hmmm…Trade possibility in the works??
— Chris| Sports Fanatic (@SportsWinn) October 28, 2024
That is absolutely baffling. This dude won 4 games and is just thrown out completely for a washed russ
— Edward S.A. ‘Bud’ Burruss (@esaburruss) October 28, 2024
Some Denver fans were also spotted in the comment section, with one pointing out their previous bitter experience with Wilson. He even speculated that Russ would soon be on the bench with Justin Fields back on the field.
Don’t be fooled by one game from Russ Steelers fans. You will likely need and see Justin Fields in a few weeks. Signed by a Bronco fan.
— Saul Goodman (@PurpleReign9d3) October 28, 2024
Fields has amassed 1,106 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 1 interception in the first six games. While nothing extraordinary, the record is enticing enough for other teams to be interested in the quarterback. If the Steelers do decide to trade him, it can be expected that they’ll get a good deal for the exchange.
When it comes to the former Chicago signal caller himself, Fields thinks he simply wasn’t “good enough” to hold his starting place. The humble QB took accountability for the two losses and stated (via ESPN):
“At the end of the day, I got a few wins. Of course, I’m glad about that, but there’s areas that I could be better at and I’m just going to continue to work on those and continue to get better.”
Hopefully, Fields will make a complete recovery from his hamstring injury and make a comeback when Pittsburgh comes off from their bye week.
