It is the silly season of the NFL, the time when every single thing that is said is blown up into a headline because, well, we are a football-starved nation. And that’s especially true here in Western Pennsylvania, where football is still considered a religion of sorts.
The latest example is this “controversy” being invented about Justin Fields choosing to play for Jets coach Aaron Glenn over Mike Tomlin. There is some school of thought that this proves Tomlin’s reputation as a coach every guy wants to play for is way overrated.
Before we get into the analysis of this whole Fields saga, let’s at least go to what he actually said and stop reacting to what we think he said. Fields was asked about why he signed with the Jets in an interview with the Jets official team website, and this was his response:
“I think, No. 1, coach ([Aaron[ Glenn,” Fields told team reporter Ethan Greenberg. “I’ve played against him early in my career. I know how passionate he is about the game, the way he coaches, the way his players play. So I think that was the biggest thing for me. And just the opportunity, the fans, of course, the city. When you win here, there’s no better place to win. Those reasons are ultimately why I ended up here.
“Our relationship playing against each other means a lot because Detroit, of course, they’ve had a lot of success the past couple of years,” Fields said. “So for him to want me here is definitely an honor, and I’m going to put it all on the line for him and do all I can to help this team be successful.”
OK, now we can come back to earth and try to be rational — if that is allowed in this day and age.
Fields wasn’t saying he preferred playing for Glenn over Tomlin or anything of the sort. He never mentioned Tomlin, never even hinted he was unhappy with the Steelers and never said anything about how he preferred Glenn over his former coach.
What he said was simply that he was familiar with Glenn, had developed a little bit of a relationship with him and when the Jets offered him a contract, the opportunity to play for Glenn made it an attractive situation for him. There is nothing more and nothing less to be read into these comments, and frankly, they are about as harmless as can be.
There is some school of thought Fields is not being truthful because what he should have said is the Jets offered him more money than the Steelers and that’s really at the heart of why he signed with the Jets.
Sure, money is always a factor, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Fields was offered a similar contract by the Steelers to what he signed with the Jets, which was two years, $40 million with $30 million guaranteed. Fowler said the Steelers’ offer wasn’t that far off of that, and the reality is if the Steelers really wanted Fields, they would have offered to pay him more than the Jets did.
And that is really at the heart of why Fields is no longer with the Steelers — because the Steelers really didn’t want him back. OK, that’s harsh. Let me say it like this: The Steelers were at best lukewarm to the idea of bringing him back.
Fields is a better idea than he is actually a quarterback. He is a former first-round pick who apparently oozes with talent and potential, and thus, there is this romantic idea he is the next Lamar Jackson or something.
There has never been any evidence he is going to be anything other than a player who is mildly interesting because he does have so much natural ability. The Steelers understand this, which is why they went looking for other alternatives as soon as the season was over.
Yes, the Steelers went 4-2 with Fields as their starter, but there was very little evidence in those six games he was destined to be a star.
The Steelers could have signed him if they really wanted to. They could have courted him like all of these players want to be courted and they could have rolled out the red carpet for him as soon as the season ended.
They did not, and that was probably Fields’ first clue that he should look elsewhere. And in doing that, he found a team — the Jets — that said, “We want you to be our guy.” And that’s all he was asking for.
He is with the Jets because the Jets made it clear he was their first target, their top choice and the player they want to lead their offense and the Steelers made it clear he was not their top choice.
Actions speak louder than words, and the Steelers’ actions are why Fields didn’t sign here, not some weird conspiracy about his relationship with Tomlin and not because of money. Everyone wants to be wanted, and the Jets did a much better job of showing Fields they wanted him than the Steelers did.
First Published: March 20, 2025, 10:59 p.m.
Updated: March 20, 2025, 11:27 p.m.
