The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to bench Justin Fields for Russell Wilson in 2024.
The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to bench Justin Fields for Russell Wilson in 2024. originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired veteran quarterback Russell Wilson last offseason, quickly followed by them trading with the Chicago Bears to get Justin Fields.
Advertisement
The latter started out the year under center as a result of a calf injury to Wilson. But as soon as the veteran quarterback recovered, Fields was benched.
And not everyone liked that idea.
On a recent episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, Albert Breer reported that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was one of the only people that thought benching Fields was the right move.
"I think people there would tell you that the Russell Wilson thing undermines so many things in the last month of the season and that a lot of that building really wanted them to go back to Justin Fields," Breer said. "And it was something where Tomlin was kind of, again, all on his own on that one."
Advertisement
"People in the building'' is a tricky thing. Players? Assistant coaches?
The "second-guess'' from then, by the way, can still be in play. Would the Steelers be better off in 2025 is Fields was still here?
Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 record in the six games that he started in, racking up 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception. He was also able to show his elite scrambling ability with 289 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
As for Wilson, the team was 6-5 with him under center, but four of their losses were all in a row to end the season, leaving them with a 10-7 record on the season. While that is still solid, some think they could have competed for the lead in the AFC North if Fields had remained the starter.
Advertisement
Now, the young quarterback will be looking for a fresh start with the New York Jets, and the Steelers will be left wondering what would have happened if they had never benched him.
Related: One Factor Could Slow Steelers' Kirk Cousins Pursuit
Related: Steelers' Rookie QB Earns Comparisons to Super Bowl Champion
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bears coaching has issues with Caleb Williams demeanor
The post Bears coaching has issues with Caleb Williams demeanor appeared first on ClutchPoints. Just a few days after Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams refuted rumors he didn't want to play for them, coaches are saying something different. Advertisement According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the new coaching staff are questioning Williams' commitment. Breer said as much during an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast on Friday. 'I kind of like asked around what they've been working on with Caleb and the stuff that they've been working on was really how you carry yourself as a franchise quarterback, and the command that you have to have to be a franchise quarterback,' he said. As a result, Breer said that coaches sought to get Williams back on track. 'And basically the point they were trying to make to him was 'Last year was a tough year, we understand. Your offensive coordinator gets fired, then your head coach gets fired. your offensive line wasn't very good, we get it.' It's like but if you're lying on the ground you know for an extended period of time you're not picking yourself up off the ground that's going to resonate with the rest of the team. That's the sort of thing that's going on, so it's like you need to be popping up off the ground after hits.' Advertisement As of late, Williams has been under scrutiny. A new book claimed Williams and his father tried to get him drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. Bears coach Ben Johnson is looking to get the most out of Williams and make him into the franchise quarterback. Caleb Williams needs to turn a corner. Williams is coming off a less-than-impressive rookie season with the Bears. He had to deal with a poor offensive line and being stacked routinely. Nevertheless, Williams finished the year with some impressive stats. He had 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. His sub-par season may have deterred the confidence he showed at USC. The Bears are looking to boost that back up.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kyle Kuzma Sends Hilarious Warning to Giannis Antetokounmpo Amid Bucks Exit Rumors
Kyle Kuzma Sends Hilarious Warning to Giannis Antetokounmpo Amid Bucks Exit Rumors originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Milwaukee Bucks fans do not want to see Giannis Antetokounmpo leave. The former back-to-back MVP has spent his entire career thus far with the same team that drafted him 12 years ago, and supporters are hoping that he remains loyal to the them despite seeing his name dragged into numerous trade rumors of late. Advertisement The same can be said about Antetokounmpo's Bucks teammates. Take for instance Kyle Kuzma, who himself joined Milwaukee last February as part of a mid-season trade deal with the Washington Wizards. Kuzma has not had the opportunity to be teammates with Antetokounmpo for very long, which is why the 6-foot-9 forward has made it clear that he wants Antetokounmpo to stay with the Bucks. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Fiserv Hanisch-Imagn Images On Monday, Kuzma posted a video of himself on Instagram wherein he is seen training in Muay Thai. In his post, he sent a warning for Antetokounmpo about potentially jumping ship. "Me to @giannis_an34 if you leave next year," Kuzma wrote, adding a handful of laughing emojis. Kuzma is well aware of the trade buzz surrounding Antetokounmpo, and the former has come out to make his feelings about it abundantly clear. He obviously isn't serious about beating Antetokounmpo up with his Muay Thai skills should the latter decide to move on, but Kuzma has made it known that he wants his teammate to remain in Milwaukee. Advertisement For what it's worth, Antetokounmpo has responded to Kuzma's "threat." The nine-time All-Star reposted Kuzma's video in his own Instagram stories, adding a couple of laughing emojis to the same. Antetokounmpo, though, did not leave any clue as to what his intentions are this summer in terms of his future with the Bucks. Related: Fans React After Giannis Antetokounmpo Teases Potential Luka Doncic Team-Up This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL.com Predicts Bills Will Finally End Super Bowl Drought In 2025
Predicts Bills Will Finally End Super Bowl Drought In 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Bills appeared to be closer than ever to reaching the Super Bowl with Josh Allen last year, but again, they fell at the final hurdle. Advertisement Now, as 2025 approaches, following an offseason that has seen the defense receive several upgrades, particularly to its pass rush, and Allen acquire another weapon in Joshua Palmer, the Bills' roster appears to be, on paper at least, Super Bowl-caliber. But under Sean McDermott, can this version of the Bills do something that the teams of the early 90s couldn't and finally break through? Eric Edholm ranked all teams without a Super Bowl win, and named Buffalo as his top candidate to break their drought. "Everyone knows the Bills' story: four straight Super Bowl appearances, no victories," Edholm writes. "But that doesn't tell it all. Buffalo has played multiple playoff games each of the past five seasons, losing twice to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game in that span. Painfully close to a dream deferred, yet still so far from the elusive rings. Advertisement "But with Josh Allen, those dreams can't be shelved. With a pretty loaded roster, the 2025 Bills have a real opportunity to fulfill their Super Bowl dreams." Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17).© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Bills have been a dominant force in the regular season over the past few years, but when it comes to the playoffs and, in particular, the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo has seen its season end at the hands of Patrick Mahomes four straight times. Is this upcoming season the time when Allen and Co. can finally bring it all together and not only make the Super Bowl, but win it? They have the roster to do it, but the mental scars of previous failings will be hard to overcome. If Allen can put on the Superman cape, then who knows? Maybe he will be the one to finally end Buffalo's title drought. Advertisement Related: Bills Predicted to Replace James Cook In 2026 NFL Draft Related: Bills Super Bowl Safety Earns 'NFL-Best' Praise From Analyst This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
