Steelers’ Danny Smith Interested In Naming Justin Fields As New Return Man

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed two starting quarterbacks this off season, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and the question has been how they will both be used. Wilson is clearly the more senior player, having spent 12 years in the league. He took his first team, the Seattle Seahawks, to two Super Bowls, winning one. Fields is entering his fourth season in the league and struggled to find his footing with the Chicago Bears. 

Head Coach Mike Tomlin indicated that Wilson would be given "pole position" for the start of the season, and that was taken to mean, in deference to his experience and success, he would get first crack at starting. But Tomlin has also said there will be competition for the quarterback position, and they are eager to see what Fields can do. However, could the team have something wild in mind for Fields that no one considered?

During the 2024 NFL Draft, Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward filmed an episode of his podcast, Not Just Football. One of his guests was Steelers running back Jaylen Warren. They discussed Warren's remarkable rise in the NFL since joining the team as an undrafted free agent and his unique partnership with teammate Najee Harris. They also asked him about some new rule changes, including the ban on the hip drop tackle and the new kickoff rule. 

The new kickoff rule will have the ball kicked from the kicking team's 35-yard line. Before the kick every player on the kicking team except the kicker will line up with at least one foot on the returning team's 40-yard line. This will help advance the ball down the field faster and result in more returns for a touchdown. This means teams like the Steelers, are looking at adding major speed on special teams. 

With this new rule, Warren was asked if he was considering putting himself out there to return kicks. The fans in the audience seemed less than thrilled, and Warren said he heard there was another plan in mind.

"Our special teams coordinator was talking about Justin Fields being back there. We looked at him like, 'Justin Fields about to be back there?' I think it's cool," said Warren.

If the team prioritizes speed, then Fields becomes a logical choice. At the Combine, he clocked an impressive 4.45 on the 40-yard dash. However, where Fields truly shines is when he's given the chance to build momentum. Despite potential passing challenges, once he hits the open field, he becomes a potential touchdown threat.

During the 2022 season, only two players reached an excess of 20 mph on the field: Fields and Tyreek Hill. While most teams want their quarterback to be mobile, you don't usually think of them as being faster than your wide receivers. 

Heyward asked Warren who is the fastest player on the team now, and he said either Fields or Calvin Austin III. That is saying something on a team that now also boasts Cordarrelle Patterson, Roman Wilson, and Joey Porter Jr.  

The Steelers Already Signed A Speed Man

The Steelers already had Austin on the team. Austin reportedly ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at his Combine, and the Steelers have benefited from that speed as he has worked kick returns and is on offense. Austin returned a 72-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett in 2023 when the Steelers played the Las Vegas Raiders. 

This new kickoff rule encourages teams to have more than one fast return man. As the news broke that the league was implementing this new rule, the Steelers announced the signing of Patterson. This reunited Patterson, who was with the Atlanta Falcons, with his old head coach, the Steelers' new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. 

Patterson boasts nine career kickoff return touchdowns and currently holds the NFL record. Before entering the NFL in 2013, he showed off that speed by running a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine that year. 

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