Justin Fields discusses 'most appealing' reason he left Steelers for Jets

As he did when he was a Pittsburgh Steeler, New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields spent Tuesday handling a lot of media questions about a high-profile QB situation with a sense of calm and class.

That’s how he did it for nearly two months to start 2024 in Pittsburgh. That’s how he is doing it in Week 1 of 2025 in New York.

Throughout the tumultuous ups and downs of winning four times in six tries as a placeholder for Russell Wilson as the Steelers’ starting QB a year ago, Fields never seemed to put a foot wrong regarding the public relations angle from the Pittsburgh QB debate of 2024.

When it came to any media interactions during his time as the Steelers’ starter — and even after he went to the bench in favor of Wilson — Fields always seemed polite, professional and pragmatic.

Based on Tuesday’s quotes and video clips from New York, in advance of his new team hosting Pittsburgh for the 2025 season opener, nothing has changed.

“Not at all,” Fields said when asked if there were any ill feelings toward the Steelers for his benching after a 4-2 start last year. “I’m a big believer in, ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ I was in a spot last year where I was able to see the game from a different perspective. I learned a lot from Russ and just all the other vets there, so not at all.”

Justin Fields was asked if he had any hard feelings about the way things ended with him and the Steelers last season:

"Not at all. I'm a big believer in, everything happens for a reason." pic.twitter.com/InDGlqDSUr

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) September 2, 2025

Fields was equally dismissive of any percolating storylines about some sort of perceived animosity that may exist regarding his showdown against the Steelers right away to open his tenure as the new starter for the Jets.

To say nothing of former Jets starter Aaron Rodgers, now running the show for the Steelers.

For Fields, the QB flip-flop storyline is nothing but low-hanging fruit for the media and fans to discuss.

“There’s no storyline for me,” Fields stated via ESPN.com. “It’s ball for me. I’ll let you guys handle the storylines. In the locker room, we just keep it straight ball.”

#Jets QB Justin Fields admitted that he 'considered' returning to the #Steelers in free agency but Aaron Glenn's presence brought him to NY.

He said he has no ill will towards Pittsburgh even after they benched him despite a winning record.

‘I’m a big believer that everything… pic.twitter.com/LHI8YuV5Uk

— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) September 2, 2025

Fields admitted that he “considered” re-signing in Pittsburgh, but he felt going to New York was a better choice because of coach Aaron Glenn.

“A.G., playing against him (as an assistant in Detroit) the first few years of my career (in Chicago),” Fields said. “Excited to change the culture here and get things going. That was the most appealing thing to me.”

Justin Fields was asked what made the Jets the right place for him:

"AG, playing against him for the first few years of my career in the league. Excited to change the culture here and get things going." pic.twitter.com/A552bICGOf

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) September 2, 2025

For his part, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was far from put off by Fields’ decisions to bolt for the Big Apple.

“It’s free agency. It was not only our decision. It was his decision. It was mutual. There are a lot of moving parts in free agency,” Tomlin said Tuesday.

Yeah. Like 40 million moving parts in the form of dollar bills that moved into Fields’ bank account from the Jets, a price that was too rich for the Steelers’ blood for what they thought Fields could be.

At least compared to the $14 million bargain for one year that they’d be tied to for signing Fields’ Hall of Fame predecessor away from New York in exchange.

“Cool, calm, collected,” Fields said of his mentality given the ironic circumstances.

I don’t doubt that about Fields outwardly on a Tuesday afternoon.

Let’s see how it looks against the Steelers’ defense he used to practice against when the whistle blows on Sunday.

Listen: Tim Benz and Joe Rutter recap Mike Tomlin’s press conference in advance of the Steelers season opener vs. the New York Jets