PITTSBURGH —In a different timeline, Justin Fields is entering his second season with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Instead, Mike Tomlin's team brings Aaron Rodgers to East Rutherford to square off with Fields and the New York Jets in the team's regular-season opener.
"You know, it's free agency," Tomlin said Tuesday of Fields' departure in March. "It was not only our decision, it was his decision. And so it was mutual."
In June, Fields credited a "fresh start" and the opportunity to work with new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn as his reasons for signing with the team. Fields started the Steelers' first six outings last season, going 4-2 before being benched in favor of Russell Wilson . Fields passed for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and an interception during that time.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February that the team preferred to have one of Fields or Wilson back for this season. During his season-ending press conference in January, Tomlin spoke of his interest in running it back with Fields.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields runs during a game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 29, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
"I think he took (the steps)," Tomlin said then. "I think the way he managed his professional circumstance was really impressive. I thought he brought an urgency to his day-to-day work regardless of his role. I thought he got continually better within our system of ball throughout the process. I thought the way that he conducted himself makes that a legitimate thought or idea at this juncture."
Ahead of Sunday's matchup, Tomlin isn't discounting Fields' ability to make plays with his legs. Fields rushed for 289 yards and five scores as a Steeler.
"You can't talk about the run game without talking about Justin's physical abilities in that area and the challenges that it may present to us," Tomlin said Tuesday. "Certainly, he didn't do a lot of running by design and so forth in the preseason, but it's reasonable to expect. … He had it in Chicago , he had it with us. I think if you've got a guy with his type of talents, it's somewhat common sense."
Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Mike Tomlin Sheds New Light on Justin Fields' Steelers Exit
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