Despite making an effort to keep him, the Pittsburgh Steelers were unable to retain quarterback Justin Fields in free agency, with the former first-round pick instead opting to join the New York Jets.
Fields was traded to the Steelers in 2024 and started the first six games while Russell Wilson was sidelined with an injury.
Once Wilson returned, Fields never saw the field as a starter the rest of the way, even when Wilson and the Steelers’ offense struggled mightily at the end of the season.
That probably did not sit well with Fields, and it could have played a part in his decision to pick the Jets over the Steelers, although Fields denied that notion.
“Not really,” Fields said. “You can’t take things personal… at the end of the day I was just excited about what the Jets had going on here. It didn’t have anything to do with Pittsburgh but the opportunity I had here to make an impact.”
Interestingly enough, Fields and the Jets have drawn the Steelers for regular-season opener in New York, and it’s a game that will be made even more interesting if Aaron Rodgers finally decides to sign in Pittsburgh.
The revenge game narrative will be alive and well for that contest, no doubt. When asked about that angle recently, Fields downplayed it.
“That’s who we play Week 1,” Fields said of the matchup. “There really wasn’t a thought to that.”
When asked if he would have extra emotion going into the game against his former team, Fields simply answered, “nah.”
While he wouldn’t admit it, you have to assume the game against the Steelers will have at least a little extra juice for Fields. It’s just human nature.