Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made it clear that backup quarterback and potential offensive X-factor Justin Fields is fully healthy and ready to go ahead of the wildcard round matchup with the Baltimore Ravens — but how much will Fields actually be utilized during the NFL playoffs?
Amid reports of “player frustration” and calls for Fields to replace Russell Wilson as the starter, the Steelers’ QB2 had a very confident but team-friendly message for the coaching staff while addressing the media on January 7.
“If my number’s called, I’ll be ready to go,” Fields told reporters on Tuesday.
Fields also acknowledged that, “of course,” he is hoping to get an opportunity against the Ravens. The dual-threat talent noted that he “always prepares the same,” with the expectation being that he could find his way into the game.
Having said that, Fields stated that he has full trust in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to decide how much or how little he is called upon. Either way, he agreed that even the threat of game planning for two different quarterback skillsets could provide an advantage.
“I think so,” Fields replied, after being asked about that factor. “I think me just being able to utilize my legs and stuff like that, [it] causes the defense to have to watch film on that [and] really just waste time on it whether we’re running [the plays] or not… It’s definitely a plus for sure.”
Fields also confirmed that he is fully healthy going into the playoffs after missing time with an abdominal injury late in the season.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Says He’s ‘Open’ to Utilizing Justin Fields vs. Ravens
Tomlin was asked about Fields on January 6, and his response was no different than his typical answer throughout the year.
“I’m certainly open to utilizing Justin [Fields],” Tomlin told reporters on Monday.
Continuing: “He has an awesome skill set. We’ve done some of that in the past. We’ve done less of it in recent weeks [because] he experienced an injury a couple of weeks back that slowed some of that. But, certainly, in an effort to win this game I am open to any combination or combinations of the division of labor in an effort to do so, and so I’m certainly open to that as we develop plans this week.”
In other words, Baltimore better prepare for the possibility of Fields, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll enter the Steelers’ initial playoff outing.
It’s the smartest way to play it from Tomlin’s perspective. Keep the Ravens guessing, but don’t commit to anything one way or the other.
For now, Wilson is still the unquestioned starter in Pittsburgh, and that seems unlikely to change barring injury.
NFL Pundit Says Steelers’ 2025 QB Answer Is ‘Not in the Building’
If you peruse different Steelers and general football communities on social media, you’ll find your Wilson supporters and your Fields truthers. FOX Sports One host and long-time NFL pundit Colin Cowherd is neither of those, and he made that very clear on January 7.
“Justin Fields is 14-30 as a starter with a passer rating under 85 and he gets hurt a lot,” Cowherd said on his show, “The Herd.” Adding: “That’s not the answer.”
He then dove into a longer discussion on defensive head coaches lacking “urgency” at quarterback.
Cowherd cited examples like Kyle Shanahan replacing Jimmy Garoppolo after a Super Bowl appearance and Andy Reid moving on from a very successful Alex Smith in order to draft a more physically gifted QB in Patrick Mahomes.
“There are 14 teams in the playoffs,” the pundit went on. “13 have a better quarterback situation than the Steelers. So, I think it’s fair to start asking questions.”
Eventually, he concluded that “if we’re all being realistic here at quarterback for the Steelers, the answer is not in the building.”
It’ll be a very interesting offseason in Pittsburgh if the Steelers fall to the Ravens in Baltimore.
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Justin Fields Sends Steelers Clear Message on Playoff Availability