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Another uncomfortable conversation in Pittsburgh…
It’s a double feature this week. Read & React is going to take a break through the rest of the playoffs — barring any critical breaking news that pulls us back — but we first wanted to debrief the season that was. One of the most significant components of that discussion is, of course, the quarterback position. Without a single quarterback under contract in 2025, Pittsburgh has some decisions to make — namely, should the team bring back Russell Wilson or Justin Fields next season?
Would you bring back either of the quarterbacks in 2025?
RP: We’ve touched on the quarterback situation a ton this year. I wrote about the possible quarterback scenarios for this offseason back in April, and most of my thoughts remain the same. I said then Russ should be gone if the season ended without a playoff win and with the Steelers failing to become a top-half offense. I still stand by that.
The Russell Wilson experiment was fun for a moment. I get why Tomlin made the switch from Fields to Wilson. I still felt it was a short-sighted approach. That’s a sentiment now being echoed in the national media:
“The Justin Fields situation in Pittsburgh is frustrating to me because now they still don’t know what they have..
They’re talking about bringing him back but they could’ve seen exactly who he was if they let him play all season” ~ @danorlovsky7 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/duMcUX2DRj
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 15, 2025
Wilson ultimately was who I said he was though, and playing him just to end up in another Wild Card blow feels like a waste of valuable snaps the Steelers could have used to develop and/or assess Fields.
Scroll through tweets about the Steelers on X and you’ll find many coming to another realization I spelled out in April — even if you don’t like Fields, there are no obvious upgrades in free agency or the draft. Among the names being shared by fans and pundits, it’d be hard to argue that Fields is any worse off than broken down Aaron Rodgers or a similarly inconsistent Sam Darnold. This year’s draft class is also weak, and while there is always the possibility a quarterback drafted in the later rounds becomes a diamond in the rough, the odds are not in the Steelers’ favor.
Me looking around at all these Steelers accounts now saying that Justin Fields is the only clear path forward in 2025 and that PIT should give him a full year of run… pic.twitter.com/8ZRKTzLPaj
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) January 14, 2025
So in short, I’d bring Fields back. There’s almost no downside. If he develops into a quality starter, amazing. If he sucks, at least they’ll pick higher in 2026. That class could feature a crop of intriguing prospects like Arch Manning, Nico Iamaleava, Garret Nussmeier, and Drew Allar.
RB: The Steelers’ quarterback situation is depressing because there’s no easy answer — not even throwing the GDP of a small country at a proven free agent is an option this year given who’s available (If the Seahawks somehow move on from Geno Smith, I’m intrigued). The draft might become more promising as we dive deeper into the names available this spring, but the 2025 class looks shallow when it comes to quarterback talent — especially in the Steelers’ draft range.
While I’d expect some sort of dart throw on a mid-to-late-round passer in the draft, the Steelers’ best option still seems to be re-signing one of the in-house options from 2024 to a short deal as a bridge quarterback.
If that’s the case, Fields is the best option. I’m not sure if he’s actually any better than Wilson, but there’s still a chance he develops into something special, and that’s enough to move the needle in his favor in a choice as uninspiring as this one. I’d bet Fields would be willing to take a short, cheaper “prove it” deal compared to what Wilson would demand, as well.
As I alluded to yesterday, there are also the reports that Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith preferred working with Fields this season. They’re rumors, to be clear, but I think the ship has sailed for Wilson’s time in Pittsburgh regardless, especially with the team being noncommittal regarding his future.
With no great answers at quarterback in 2025, Fields fits the bill the best when considering cost, potential, and familiarity. Plus, while he brings more risk than Wilson, let’s not pretend that the floor is astronomically low — Fields went 4-2 as a starter this year, beating two eventual playoff teams.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m not proclaiming Fields as the Steelers’ next franchise quarterback. His time starting for Pittsburgh was about what we expected and a bit too similar to his tenure in Chicago to result in much optimism. I think Pittsburgh’s best bet is to bring Fields back in the short term while still looking at future options at the quarterback position.
Join in on Steelers Read & React by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. What are your takes on the quarterback situation and offseason needs? How would you retool the Steelers for next season? Let us know in the comments!
Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section, on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia, or via email: steelersreadnreact@gmail.com. Thanks, as always, for reading.