Steelers Legend Ben Roethlisberger Has Crazy Idea For Offense's Future Usage Of Justin Fields

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost in unfortunate fashion to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 of the 2024 NFL regular season. The Thursday Night Football matchup was the craziest of the league's season in terms of weather. An insane amount of snow fell on the field as the two teams competed, and that might have ultimately played a factor in the upset. Fans in the Steel City got to see several different plays with Justin Fields running the offense, and while it led to a big-time run for the elusive quarterback, he also couldn't find George Pickens late in the game on a critical third-down play, which proved to be costly.

Many have questioned the coaching staff's decision to have Fields in the huddle during a crucial third down, especially when the play that resulted in a non-conversion was a deep pass. It's too late to change the outcome now, but it's clear that the Steelers were trying to keep the Browns on their toes. That's all well and good, but the play designs could probably be a little bit better in terms of causing confusion.

Legendary future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger released another episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, on Tuesday, and the former signal-caller suggested that Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith should get more creative with Fields. The two-time Super Bowl champion even wants to see Fields line up at a major skill position moving forward.

"I would like to see - line him up at wide receiver a couple of times," Roethlisberger stated. "Put him at different spots because what that does, even if you don't do anything with it - again, anytime you can make an opponent spend five minutes on something they may never see - it takes them away from preparing for what they will see."

It would be fascinating to see Fields line up at wide receiver. He may not be ready to run any routes, but it could certainly confuse the defense on the other side of the ball. Additionally, potentially having him and Russell Wilson on the field at the same time could create some unique opportunities for the offensive unit.

If confusing the defense is the goal, having Fields trot out to a wide receiver spot could absolutely mess up a defense's mentally. He is an extremely athletic individual with the potential to cause headaches at different areas on the field. The main downside is that he is the back-up quarterback, and getting too aggressive could unfortunately lead to an injury.

Roethlisberger does have a point, however. The Steelers simply aren't doing enough on the offensive side of the ball despite some solid performances throughout the season to this point. The idea of having Fields be used in unconventional ways could add a new layer to the unit, and at the very least, force opposing teams to prepare for the unexpected, even if nothing drastic is ever to occur.

Pittsburgh has two starting-caliber quarterbacks, and there is no reason not to use both. The situation will matter, but playing a game of chess, and not checkers, could be the key to unlocking the offense's full potential. Fields is no good on the sideline, particularly because of his freak athleticism.

Steelers Expected To Continue To Utilize Justin Fields

Wilson is going to remain the starter for the foreseeable future, but Fields provided a reminder against the Browns that his legs can be used as a weapon. It shouldn't surprise many if he continues to see time on the field, but it would be a nice change of pace to mix up how he is used, as the future Hall of Famer has suggested. Time will tell, but Fields may not be in the black and gold for much longer, so the Steelers should utilize his strengths while they can.

Do you think that Pittsburgh should line up Fields at wide receiver and move him around? Let us know in the comments below!

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