Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is among Steelers insiders who have repeatedly insisted that veteran Russell Wilson is essentially penciled in as the club’s starting quarterback over Justin Fields.
During a Wednesday appearance on Pittsburgh sports radio station 93.7 The Fan, Fittipaldo suggested that Fields shouldn’t expect many opportunities to work with the first-team offense once training camp practices begin later this month.
“A lot of times, what you’ll see with the Steelers, and they did this with [retired quarterback Ben Roethlisberger]…they’ll purposely rest guys every third or fourth day just to give them a rest [during training camp],” Fittipaldo explained, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. “And on those days, those are gonna be huge opportunities for Justin Fields to go out there with the ones to show what he can do.”
Fittipaldo comparing Wilson to Roethlisberger regarding practices is interesting, considering Roethlisberger was cemented as Pittsburgh’s starter when he received rest days as a veteran. Wilson will reportedly enter training camp as the “undisputed leader” of the Steelers offense, which could leave Fields without any real chance to win the QB1 job through the club’s exhibition games.
“You’re not gonna see Justin Fields maybe with the ones a whole lot in the preseason games unless there’s an injury,” Fittipaldo continued, “but I think we’ll see that maybe five, six times during training camp. And I think on those days when he does get to go with the ones, he’s gonna have to prove himself and show the coaching staff and the front office that he might be a part of this team’s future.”
Neither Wilson nor Fields is signed beyond the upcoming campaign. McCorkle noted that Fittipaldo poured cold water over the Steelers possibly signing Fields for a short-term extension ahead of September. The two sides could come to some sort of agreement next winter before the new league year opens in March 2025, but Fields may want to bet on himself and reach the open market if he spends the majority of the 2024 season serving as Pittsburgh’s QB2.
