Justin Fields does not necessarily sound like he loved every moment of his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fields on Wednesday reflected on the Steelers’ decision to bench him six games into last season, despite his 4-2 record. The quarterback admitted the decision left him in “a space I wasn’t really comfortable,” but that he had no choice but to put his head down and get to work.
“It was different for me and a space I wasn’t really comfortable,” Fields said. “But Coach (Mike) Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team. I’m never going to go against that. I just tried to change my perspective and get better in practice.”
Justin Fields on the Steelers benching him last year: "It was different for me and a space I wasn't really comfortable. But Coach Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team. I'm never going to go against that. I just tried to change my perspective and get better in…
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) April 9, 2025
At the time of his benching, Fields said he felt he had not played well enough to retain the job. Even if he was telling the truth, no quarterback enjoys being benched. However, it is certainly possible that the experience left him feeling sour, and may have helped lead to his departure even though the Steelers were said to want him back.
Fields wound up playing ten games with six starts for Pittsburgh last season, throwing for 1,106 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 289 yards with five scores on the ground.
Fields wound up getting a guaranteed starting job with the New York Jets instead. It may be his last chance to prove himself as an NFL starter.
