Numerous reports shared throughout February have indicated that individuals within the Pittsburgh Steelers, such as offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, would choose Justin Fields over Russell Wilson regarding which of the two quarterbacks to bring back for another season.
During a Thursday appearance on “SportsCenter,” ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler hinted that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin may not be ready to make the full-time move from Wilson to Fields quite yet.
“Wilson has made the Steelers a priority,” Fowler explained, per Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report. “He loved it there. He would like to be the quarterback there. Certainly, Mike Tomlin feels a commitment or a loyalty to Wilson.”
The perception has existed since last spring that Tomlin prefers Wilson over Fields. Tomlin turned to Wilson in Week 7 of this past season once the veteran recovered from a lingering calf problem even though Fields won four of six starts, and Tomlin later stuck with Wilson through a five-game losing streak that ran from Week 15 through the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Fowler noted on Thursday that Fields almost certainly will have desirable options if he reaches free agency when the new league year opens on March 12. Specifically, Fields has been linked in stories with both the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Earlier this offseason, former Steelers quarterback and franchise legend Ben Roethlisberger mentioned that Tomlin “makes most of the decisions in Pittsburgh” and has “got a lot of pull” as it pertains to roster moves. If it’s true that “Tomlin feels a commitment or a loyalty to Wilson,” one would assume the one-time Super Bowl champion has at least a decent chance of returning to the Pittsburgh quarterback room even if he’s asked to compete for the starting job for the second consecutive summer.
As long as they remain unsigned, both Wilson and Fields could speak with other clubs when the legal tampering period of free agency opens on March 10. If Tomlin and Co. don’t figure this alleged “split” out soon, the Steelers could enter free agency needing to turn to a “plan C,” “plan D”
or even a “plan E.”
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