New York Jets fans are learning what Pittsburgh Steelers fans already knew about Justin Fields. As easy as he is to root for, he still has a long way to go as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Jets beat reporter Ralph Vacchiano shared a quick thought about the new Jets QB on X after New York wrapped up its minicamp sessions earlier this week.
"QB Justin Fields has a rocket arm and is capable of some impressive, precision passes. He may often follow those by sailing throws high and wide," Vacchiano wrote.
The same issues in Fields’ game that existed in Chicago and Pittsburgh are still present in New York. It seems no matter how many jersey swaps and zip code changes Fields goes through, one fact remains: he’s an incredibly gifted athlete who lacks the consistency to be grouped in with the top, reliable quarterbacks of the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans have seen this movie before with Fields, and it ends the same way
Steelers fans know how frustrating it can be with Fields at quarterback. The team went 4-2 with him as the starter last year to open the season, but even the glimpses of promising play would be mired by a handful of instances that highlighted his recklessness and inconsistency.
It’s a big reason why the fanbase was so divided, not only when he was ‘benched’ for Russell Wilson, but when he wasn’t retained after his one-year contract with the Steelers expired. Many fans wanted to build around Fields instead of pursuing other options. After all, that potential he flashes is what NFL franchises crave, and off the field, he’s far from problematic, unlike many of the options the Steelers have or currently employ.
Unfortunately for Fields, all the goodwill in the world does not a great quarterback make. New York is his last chance to prove he can be the guy, so if he can’t make it there, it’s not likely he’ll make it anywhere. And if it goes the same way as it did in Pittsburgh, with marginal success and too-small steps toward progress, it’ll end just the same.
What may work in his favor is a run-heavy scheme and limited passing opportunities in New York’s restructured offense. It helped to a degree in Pittsburgh as Arthur Smith clearly shrank the passing game with Fields before Wilson took over. Still, as his time in the Steel City proved, it won’t mask every inefficiency in his game, and it won’t save him when the brutal New York fanbase completely realizes what he truly brings to the table as an NFL quarterback.