Justin Fields won’t be returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers to start another season at quarterback.

Fields is departing in free agency, agreeing Monday to a two-year, $40 million offer from the New York Jets that includes $30 million in guaranteed money, ESPN reported.

The Steelers had been trying to sign Fields or Russell Wilson before the legal tampering period began Monday at noon. Wilson, who replaced Fields at quarterback for the final 12 games of the regular season and playoffs, remains a free agent.

Fields, a former No. 11 overall draft pick, was the Steelers’ starter for the first six games of last season before ceding to Wilson. That at first looked like a wise decision by coach Mike Tomlin when Wilson won six of his first seven starts. But the Steelers closed the season with five consecutive losses, including a blowout playoff defeat at rival Baltimore.

The 36-year-old Wilson’s production sagged down the stretch, leading some fans to long for the early portion of the season when Fields went 4-2 as a starter while displaying some of the dazzling traits that had made him a coveted first-round pick of the Chicago Bears just four years ago.

But after three middling seasons in Chicago and with the Bears holding the No. 1 overall pick last spring, the organization cut ties with Fields for a mere conditional sixth-round pick from the Steelers. The acquisition came a day after the Steelers staged an introductory news conference for Wilson — who had signed for the veteran minimum following his release from the Denver Broncos — and the trade of 2022-23 Steelers starter Kenny Pickett.

In a small sample size, Fields’ 4-2 record is the best winning percentage for the Steelers of any of the quarterbacks they’d turned to since future Hall of Fame inductee Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. Pickett largely flamed out after being a first-round pick that ensuing spring, and Mitch Trubisky was a middling 2-5 with the Steelers after signing a modest free-agent contract also in 2022. Mason Rudolph and Wilson, respectively, were the Steelers’ starters down the stretch and for a playoff game the past two seasons.

Fields was just 10-28 over three seasons as a starter with the Bears, but he did have 1,143 rushing yards in 2022. He also was sacked a league-most 55 times that season.

During his six starts for the Steelers last season, Fields had five rushing touchdowns — one short of the team lead for all of 2024. He had a career-best completion percentage (65.8%) and passer rating (93.3) while amassing 1,106 passing yards and 289 rushing yards.

While Fields threw just one interception among 161 attempts, he was charged with six fumbles — many coming on botched exchanges under center. While assigning blame for such plays between Fields or rookie center Zach Frazier can be murky, the phenomenon went away after Wilson took over as starter.

Fields turned 26 last week.

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