Steelers' Justin Fields Gets Absolutely Disrespected In Comparison To Russell Wilson: "Can't Carry His Jock Strap"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' seemingly endless quarterback controversy is in full bloom. While Russell Wilson is still listed as the starting quarterback, Justin Fields has no plans of backing down anytime soon, and his youth may make the Steelers want to find a way to get him some meaningful snaps in 2024. Even with the hope that Fields can reach his potential, Wilson is likely a lock to be the Week 1 starting quarterback. Everyone is questioning if and when Fields can take the reins from him, but some think that he has absolutely no chance.

While hosting The Carton Show, Craig Carton took some shots at Fields and talked about how there is no way that he could overtake Wilson as the starting quarterback. He sees a much bigger gap between the two quarterbacks in terms of their ability to play the position at a high level.

"[Russell Wilson] is basically there for free because Denver is paying him all the money, and he is the veteran quarterback with success on his resume. Justin Fields can't carry his jock strap right now as an NFL quarterback. He's younger, he's faster, he's more athletic, yes, yes, yes, but he's not as good of a quarterback as Russell Wilson."

Obviously, Wilson has a Super Bowl ring, as well as another appearance in the big game. His success made the Denver Broncos trade a massive package to acquire him, then immediately give him a massive extension. The Steelers are hoping that they can at least somewhat find the form that he had with the Seattle Seahawks that resulted in the team's first ever Lombardi Trophy. 

Whether it was coaching, regression from age, or both, Wilson was a shell of what he once was during his two-year tenure in Denver. The Broncos wanted a fresh start so bad that they decided to pay him superstar money to go away and find another team.

With that said, if Fields is not even close to Wilson's level like Carton thinks, then the Steelers will have a long, rough season. Even in a run-first system like Arthur Smith's, you need quality quarterback play to act as a complement. If the passing game is somewhat effective, there will be more holes for the Steelers' running back room to burst through. 

How Does The Steelers' Quarterback Duo Truly Match Up?

Wilson finished 2023 with a 66.4 completion percentage, 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions over 15 total games, along with 341 rushing yards. Overall, he played a very safe, conservative game in Denver, although that may have been due to Sean Payton allegedly having no faith in his quarterback whatsoever. 

Meanwhile, Fields finished 2023 with a 61.4 completion percentage, 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine interceptions over 13 total games, but he also had 657 rushing yards. Fields is easily the more aggressive quarterback in this situation, but he lacks the mechanics to truly take advantage of his skill set in that aggressive playstyle. 

Statistically, Wilson is easily the better quarterback. Passing yards per game were similar, but he has Fields beat in every major category except rushing yards. Wilson is entering his 13th year in the league, so he has seen everything. He can read the defense better, and his mechanics are more refined. While he is the better quarterback, it's not as black and white as it seems.

Fields is 10 years younger than Wilson. While Fields can still develop and reach his potential, Wilson is on his decline. If he can develop in a new system, he can easily overtake Wilson as the best quarterback on the team. He has the athleticism to make it happen. All he really needs is to fix his mechanics and decision-making, which are both very coachable abilities. As of now, Fields may not be able to "hold Wilson's jock strap," but that could change quickly. 

What do you think about Carton taking a shot at Fields? Will he develop into a better quarterback than Wilson? Let us know in the comments.

#SteelerNation