Getty FS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho ripped into new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields.
Lot of NFL analysts were impressed that the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired quarterback Justin Fields for only a conditional sixth-round pick. But don’t count FS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho among them.
Acho put Fields on blast while talking about the potential quarterback competition he will have with fellow new Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson.
“Justin Fields, he’s been dead weight, Russ has never in Seattle been dead weight,” Acho argued on FS1’s Speak, via Steelers Now’s Chris Ward. “Remember those Seahawks teams were 7-9 before he got there. He got there and they instantly won 11, then instantly won 13 and went to the Super Bowl.
“There are three categories: Game changes, game managers and game losers. Russell Wilson might not be a game changer, but he’s never been a game loser. Put him in the game manager category. Someone could very convincingly make a case for Justin Fields to be in the game loser category.”
To Acho’s point, Fields has gone 10-28 as an NFL starter in his career. Of those losses, 20 of them came in his first two seasons (2021-22).
Justin Fields’ Terrible Win-Loss Record
Win-loss record for quarterbacks can sometimes be an overrated statistic. But if one places a lot of value in that metric, there’s no denying that Fields falls short.
He didn’t win more than 5 games in any of his three seasons with the Chicago Bears. Over his first two seasons, he went 5-20 as a starter.
The good news for the Steelers is Fields starting winning a little bit more with the Bears last season. He went 5-8 in 13 starts last season, including 4-2 in his final six games.
How much did Fields is to blame for his .263 win percentage in Chicago is also a relevant question to ask. The Bears haven’t won more than eight games in a season since 2018.
Meanwhile, the Steelers haven’t won fewer than eight games since 2003. Last season, they won 10 contests despite starting quarterbacks considered to be far less talented than Fields.
The Bears haven’t posted a winning record with other quarterbacks besides Fields since the beginning of 2021 either. But supporting Acho’s point, the Bears haven’t lost as much with other signal callers either.
Without Fields, the Bears are 6-7 over the past three seasons.
Fields’ Tremendous Upside Potential
Analysts who do love Fields after a disappointing tenure in Chicago are ones who still believe in his potential.
Despite his win-loss record, Fields has one of the best highlight reels since he entered the league. In 2022, he led the NFL with a 7.1 yards per carry average on his way to 1,143 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground.
In his career, Fields has averaged 6.2 yards per rush and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. His completion percentage has improved, and his interception rate has dropped every season as well.
The problem is Fields has still produced a lot of negatives plays in his career. He’s taken 135 sacks in 40 NFL games. He’s also thrown 30 interceptions and fumbled 38 times.
Fields’ playmaking ability is special, but to win more games, he will have to cut down on his interceptions, fumbles and sacks.
It doesn’t sound like Acho is confident Fields will be able to do that with the Steelers.