Steelers Reportedly Lose Quarterback Justin Fields In Free Agency

It remains unknown who the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback will be in 2025, but the franchise can cross a name off its candidate’s list: Justin Fields.

Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Jets on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The agreement includes $30 million in guaranteed salary and reunites Fields with former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson — Fields and Wilson spent two seasons together with the Buckeyes.

One month after New York met with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and revealed the franchise would seek a new direction this offseason, the Jets stayed true to their word. Fields replaces the future Hall of Famer, fresh off a one-year run with the Steelers in which Fields was tasked with splitting starting signal-caller duties with now-free agent Russell Wilson. Fields now gets his chance to lead a franchise (presumably) without the pressure of a veteran option eagerly awaiting his chance right behind him.

New York allows Fields, 26, to grow and ascend for a franchise aiming to compete.

“This has been a huge deal for the New York Jets for this new regime,” NFL Media’s Ian Rappaport said Monday. “… This was the guy the Jets wanted. We all talked for a long time — many, many weeks about Pittsburgh Steelers trying to bring back Justin Fields, and the Jets said nothing. The Jets said nothing. They waited, they worked, they recruited over the course of the last couple of hours and they get Justin Fields done.”

Fields, the first-round pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2021 draft, made six starts for the Steelers last season, going 4-2 while completing 65.8% of his pass attempts. Fields also threw five touchdowns with one interception and rushed for 289 yards with five touchdowns, all while keeping Pittsburgh intrigued entering the offseason.

However, playing the waiting game didn’t work in favor of the Steelers. Fields was due to garner free agency interest, and 24 hours after Pittsburgh swung a blockbuster trade for star wideout DK Metcalf, the team still doesn’t have a starting quarterback. That was the No. 1 priority from the very get-go and should prompt some urgency within the front office.

Fields has youth, speed, athleticism, and upside over Rodgers as a dual-threat quarterback. That’s an archetype the Jets aren’t used to having, but it could spark a fuse in the offense coming off the team’s abysmal 5-12 finish in 2024.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, remains linked to Rodgers, who will turn 42 years old in December.

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