Tim Benz: If the Steelers go with Justin Fields in 2025, actually treat him like a starter

During his season-ending press conference on Tuesday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was asked about the team’s plans at quarterback next season. At no point did he make a strong suggestion that the franchise was intending to retain Russell Wilson as the starter. In fact, his answer sounded like it had to do more with outside options through free agency or the draft.

“We don’t have a quarterback under contract, so we’ve got some major discussions there,” Tomlin said. “It was a really good experience with (Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen) this year, individually and collectively. We are certainly open to considering those guys, but there’s a lot of work ahead of us. The major work starts, first and foremost, just understanding what our options are — what the field looks like in terms of free agency, what the draft pool looks like. Then, begin the process in terms of decision-making based on known variables.”

However, I did ask Tomlin if Wilson should leave (via his own decision or the team’s), could Fields become the full-time, 17-game starter?

“Certainly,” Tomlin said. “I thought that the way that he managed his professional circumstance was really impressive. I thought he brought an urgency in his day-to-day work regardless of his role. I thought he got continually better within our system of ball throughout the process. I thought the way he conducted himself makes that a legitimate thought or idea at this juncture.”

Ten months ago, when the new-look Steelers quarterback room was assembled, this current possibility was born: Wilson starts in 2024. Fields backs-up and learns the system for a year as almost an apprentice. Wilson moves on in 2025. The Steelers have a (still) young, former first-round draft choice with knowledge of the system ready to take over. Plus, they ought to be able to retain him at a cheap price.

Of course, that pristine passing of the torch notion didn’t happen because Wilson was hurt for six games, and Fields had to start out of the gate. So we got to see what Fields could and couldn’t do.

Basically, what he could do was run a lot and go 4-2 against two wild card teams and four others that were under .500.

What he couldn’t do was throw for over 160 yards in four of those games.

So the “newness” and unfettered optimism of Fields being a shiny, unwrapped toy in Pittsburgh — the theory of what he could be here — for 2025, doesn’t exist. We’ve seen some of those shortcomings.

The coaches have, too. That’s why, when he did play, they hoped that the Steelers could win every game 17-10.

If the Steelers do go with Fields next year as the “pole position” starter that Wilson was when he signed his contract last offseason, then the Steelers have to let him spread his wings.

Throw him in the deep end of the pool. Take off the training wheels. Remove the restrictor plate. Give him some more runway.

Whatever your cliched metaphor of choice may be, Tomlin just has to let him be a big-boy starting quarterback.

That means letting him get to the line of scrimmage and check into more plays of his choosing. Run the offense in the moment based on what he sees at the line like other established veterans. He’ll be 26 in March. It’s time to see if he can do it or not.

In October, Fields was asked if offensive coordinator Arthur Smith gave him the freedom “to alert into a different play when he might see the defense stacking the box to defend the run.”

Fields basically said he didn’t.

“If we have a run play call, then we’re going to stick with that play call,” Fields replied. “Our offense doesn’t roll like that. I put my full trust in Arthur to get us in the right play at the right time. So whatever he calls, I’m going to roll with. There are some plays that I can check into a different play versus a different coverage or a certain look, but most of our run plays, there’s some ‘cans’ on it, depending on what look we get. So it really just depends on play calls.”

Forget that. Fields must be given autonomy at the line. The Steelers have tried to treat him and Kenny Pickett with kid gloves in recent years. The passing games under Smith and Matt Canada have been remarkably limited as a result.

That has to stop. Whether Smith is back as the offensive coordinator next year or not, whoever is in charge can’t ask Fields to be a full-time starting quarterback and ask him to take the field in diapers.

If Fields is going to be the starter, treat him as such. It’s one thing to say, “Justin, you’re the backup. Just don’t go out there and screw it up,” and go 4-2 when the defense was at its freshest, flying around and holding teams to two touchdowns or less.

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It’s something else when the plan is for him to be the starter for 17 games. The Steelers failed to take that next step with Pickett when he took the reins in September of 2023. They absolutely have to do so this time if they promote Fields in 2025.

If Tomlin has already determined that Fields isn’t capable of doing that, move on. Let him walk and sign or draft someone. Or keep Wilson.

Or just punt on the season, keep Allen, go 4-13 and draft a high-first-rounder in 2026 when it’s a better draft class for QBs than this one is.

Honestly, that last option doesn’t sound as bad in my head when I think about it as it looks in print.

But if it’s Fields’ gig in ‘25, give him a real shot to thrive. Don’t manage him like he’s just holding down the fort for the next guy to be named later.

Even if that may really be the case.

LISTEN: Tim Benz and Chris Adamski wrap up the 2024-25 season and look ahead to offseason decisions for the Steelers.