Steelers' Mike Tomlin Believes That Justin Fields Could Certainly Be Team's Starting Quarterback In 2025

With another disappointing ending for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they will enter the 2025 offseason with many questions surrounding the coaching staff and their personnel. The biggest question that they will be asking is who's leading the offense out in Week 1 of the 2025 season. The ending of the Russell Wilson experiment in 2024 did not go as Mike Tomlin had planned, as Wilson fizzled out during the last weeks of the season. The Steelers had a small sample size of Justin Fields to start the season and went 4-2, showing off his ability with his legs, and making an effort to improve each day within Pittsburgh. Could he be the answer to the quarterback position rolling into the new year?

At his last press conference of the 2024 season, Tomlin was asked if Wilson were to move on, does he feel that Fields showed enough for the coaching staff to place him in pole position entering the 2025 season to be the starter. Tomlin believes that Fields had showed enough and raved about his professionalism throughout the year.

"Certainly," said Tomlin. "I think he took them. I thought that the way that he managed his professional circumstance was really impressive. I thought he brought an urgency to 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."

Fields was never intended to start right away for the Steelers in the 2024 season. Wilson was promised a shot at the starting role when he signed, but with a nagging calf injury that he sustained right before training camp, it allowed the coaching staff to see Fields' abilities in the first six games.

Fields had an impressive year for Pittsburgh in his limited role. He finished the season with 1,106 yards passing including five touchdowns and just one interception. He also added 289 yards on the ground with five touchdowns. Tomlin and the coaching staff must have liked what they saw since Tomlin was quick to note that Fields has done enough to be their starter next year.

Fields may have won favor over Wilson with the coaching staff with how the season ended. Wilson led the Steelers to five straight loses, struggling to find a rhythm early in games which would lead to the Steelers playing from behind. The Steelers hadn't held a lead since their Week 14 matchup with Cleveland Browns. In their last five games, all but one of their first drives of the game ended in a three and out.

Wilson has made it clear that he wants to come back to the Steelers next season, even believing that he played well enough for another shot in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately for him, it's not completely his decision. Tomlin and the front office knows that they have to turn around the recent playoff woes and may feel that Wilson isn't a solution to that problem.

Steelers May Go With Fields Over Other Available Quarterbacks This Offseason

The Steelers' organization knows that the first question that must be answered is the quarterback for the 2025 season. With many speculating that Pittsburgh could go with an outside QB that is available this offseason, they may not like the options that are there. Going with a guy that has been with them for a full season and has seen glimpses of what he can bring to the team may be enough for the Steelers to sign Fields to a longer term deal. Tomlin knows he has to get this right or another season that ends with an early exit in the playoffs could be the final straw.

Should the Steelers sign Fields over Wilson? Do you think Fields is the answer or is someone else out there going to bring the Steelers their first playoff win in almost a decade? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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