Steelers QB Justin Fields is set to make his sixth start of the season, but will it be his last? With Russell Wilson now healthy, they can decide to make a change at any time. Leading up to today's game, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith assessed his play -- but more so his demeanor.
"There's been some really good football played, and there's things that we've got to keep working on", Smith said of Fields via transcript. "He is unique in terms of the modern era, a guy that's kind of old school, just tries to work on things, no drama with him".
A former first-round pick of the Chicago Bears, Justin Fields started three seasons there before this year. The Steelers traded for him for a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick, presuming that Wilson would start.
But Wilson's calf injury provided Fields with ample opportunity to play. While he has made some glaring mistakes, mostly operationally, he has largely played winning football. All the while, Arthur Smith has respected his coachability and mentality.
"That's probably why he was so endearing to his teammates in Chicago. That's what I really enjoy about working with him", he said about Fields. "Extremely coachable, extremely bright. And the same thing as a play-caller".
Reporters asked Fields about Smith's comments, and he said he got that from his father. A strict disciplinarian, he told a story of his father shaving his head and making him go to school in Army sweats after earning only a C on a test. He could not or chose not to recall what earned him a second trim in ninth grade.
"The guy just wants to work, and that's what you appreciate about him", Smith reiterated about Justin Fields. "Like all of us, there's things you've got to work on. Different things pop up week to week. That's why we practice. That's why we meet. I'm very pleased with him overall".
Fields is posting career-bests in accuracy and interception percentage -- even sack percentage, albeit marginally. But he also leads the league in fumbles, mostly because of operational failures with the center exchange. His higher completion percentage is also partly attributable to his lower intended air yards.
While he has three rushing touchdowns, Fields isn't breaking off the dynamic runs that made him so tantalizing in Chicago. He is only averaging 3.9 yards per rush, even if he has a 52.3-percent success rate. In 2022, he rushed for 1,143 yards -- he is about a tenth of the way there now.
However, the Steelers want to see steady growth from Justin Fields. We hit a bit of a snag in that department last week. But the coaches appreciate this "old-school" mentality that Smith referenced multiple times: focusing on growing and getting better rather than looking to assign blame. That alone won't preserve his starting job, but it's not a bad trait for a starting quarterback -- or a backup.
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