The Pittsburgh Steelers did not handle the Justin Fields situation well, and we didn't need the gift of foresight to see how this would play out. Despite earning 10 total touchdowns and throwing just one interception while leading Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record, Mike Tomlin promptly benched Fields entering Week 7 of the 2024 season.
So, who could have guessed that the young quarterback would have opted for a fresh start with Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets over Tomlin and the Steelers? (I'm being sarcastic, of course.)
In the latest 2025 NFL mock draft, Steelers general manager Omar Khan and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith clearly have Justin Fields remorse over the way things turned out. Tomlin openly admitted to (and gloated about) making the mid-season switch from Fields to Russell Wilson, a move that ultimately resulted in disaster down the stretch of the season. Now, the Steelers could look for a Fields replica.
PFF's Jordan Plocher has Pittsburgh going with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the latest mock draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can't mistake Jalen Milroe for Justin Fields in the 2025 NFL Draft
As badly as they would like to undo their mistake when handling the Justin Fields situation, the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot mistake Milroe for Fields. While Fields is still attempting to reach his ceiling as a passer, he's far more developed and was a much better prospect coming out than Milroe.
There's no denying Milroe's elite athletic traits. The polarizing quarterback posted a 4.40 40-yard dash at this Alabama Pro Day, and his outstanding rushing ability will be his secret weapon at the next level. He may even be a better runner than Fields. But as a passer, he doesn't come close to resembling a first-round prospect.
Milroe struggles with sporadic accuracy and questionable decision-making. This led to a pedestrian stat line with the Crimson Tide in 2024 that included 2,844 passing yards to go with 16 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The Steelers could select Milroe based on his traits, but even his size measurables fall short of what this team typically looks for. While Fields stood at nearly 6'3'' and 227 pounds, Milroe measured in at the NFL Combine at 6'1 7/8'' and 217 pounds. Meanwhile, at the Senior Bowl, Milroe's hand size came in at 8 3/4''. This is barely bigger than Kenny Pickett's 8 1/2'' hands coming out of Pittsburgh in the 2022 draft.
The Steelers expressed more than enough interest in Milroe to draft him in the first round, as Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan sat down for a dinner meeting with the quarterback before Alabama's Pro Day.
As a prospect, Jalen Milroe isn't anywhere near the player Justin Fields was coming out of Ohio State in 2021. The Pittsburgh Steelers can't be duped into believing they are getting a better version of Fields in Milroe, and taking the high-risk quarterback in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft would be a gamble they can't afford.