The Pittsburgh Steelers brought in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to complete the total overhaul of their quarterback room. While Wilson will enter the Steelers’ 2024 training camp as the starter, that doesn’t mean Fields will be left as merely a backup. In fact, if recent reports prove to be correct, the former Chicago Bears’ first-round pick could make a splash on special teams. The idea is a fascinating one, but there is at least one member of Pittsburgh’s staff who might not be overjoyed about the entire situation.
Danny Smith, the Steelers’ special teams coach, is widely respected for getting the most out of his squads and bringing some much-needed creativity to the game. After Jaylen Warren let it slip about Fields’ possibly being used on special teams and the excitement it garnered, Smith might have wanted that part kept quiet. On DraftKings Gojo And Golic’s Friday episode, Mike Golic Jr. made it very clear that he thought Warren’s admission was ill-timed and resulted in ruining a potentially effective plan.
“I can tell you one thing for certain, Danny Smith, who is among the more creative special teams coaches in the NFL, I’d have to imagine was p***** that this got talked about publicly here. Because the one thing special teams coaches love is the element of surprise, and now that is all gone here.”
Despite the Steelers signing 33-year-old return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson during the 2024 offseason, the idea of Fields adding his athleticism to the special teams mix is intriguing. Smith has spent his career formulating and crafting special teams’ strategies, and having the upper hand taken away before training camp would certainly be frustrating. Regardless of whether Warren’s words end up shutting down the supposed plan, the approach is one that Golic Jr. is a big fan of.
“I actually kind of look at this and go, ‘This is the kind of tinkering that should all be on the table with the new NFL kickoff rules. It is an entirely different format that’s going to give way to, I think, a lot of creativity in this particular area while people are figuring out the best way to do this amongst the new rules… and with Justin’s unique skill set back there and some of the things you could do — I’m not saying you major in it, but it would be a really interesting offspeed pitch.”
Fields is known for utilizing all of his athleticism to make the play, and that dates back to his collegiate playing days with Georgia and Ohio State. During his college career, Fields rushed for 1,113 yards and 19 touchdowns over three seasons. During his time with Chicago, he continued that trend by rushing for 2,220 yards and 14 touchdowns in his three years of NFL experience.
While there is certainly a difference between being a dual-threat quarterback and a speedy kick returner, there is good reason for the Steelers to consider Fields for some special teams work. In the end, it will come down to whether or not it adds to the teams ability to win football games and how healthy a kick-returning Fields would be over the course of an entire NFL season.
Steelers Giving Justin Fields His Fresh Start
After Kenny Pickett earned himself a ticket out of Pittsburgh in the trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, Wilson and Fields are now who the Steelers will be looking to. Fields had a rough start to his NFL career in Chicago after being touted as the savior of the franchise following being drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. With the world on his shoulders and a lack of weapons around him, Fields never reached the heights the Bears had hoped for.
In Pittsburgh, though, the circumstances offer Fields an excellent opportunity to change the direction he was headed in Chicago. Wilson enters camp as the starter, but for Fields, there is a long-term game to be played as well. Even if Wilson remains under center throughout the 2024 season, Fields gets to learn from a Super Bowl-winning quarterback without the pressure that plagued him in Chicago. If Fields is patient and absorbs everything along the way, 2024 could be a stepping stone to a legitimate future with the Steelers.
