There was a strange silence on the gridiron last week during the Steelers–Jets faceoff. Though the Steelers won by a narrow margin of 34-32, it was Justin Fields who “hushed” the Steelers’ defensive lineup. The game highlighted Jets’ quarterback Justin Fields’ growth and promise as a dual-threat QB as he displayed his prowess in both passing and running. Although we witnessed a glimpse of “vintage Rodgers“, it seemed that the Steelers’ front office is now regretting their decision to let Fields go.

Last year, the Steelers had both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, but coach Mike Tomlin switched from Fields to Wilson after six games, despite the team being 4-2, and some people within the organization wanted Fields to continue playing. Fields was popular with his teammates and coaches, but the team chose Wilson. Wilson gave the team a quick boost but faded out by the end.

Now, fast-forward to last week, when the Steelers played the Jets and saw Fields looking sharp and confident with his new team. Plenty of people inside the Steelers couldn’t help but say, “Told ya so!”

Though Tomlin emphasized that the decision to let Fields go was not solely the team’s but also Fields. He argued that their relationship ended on mutual terms when Fields left Pittsburgh in free agency to join the New York Jets. “You know, it’s free agency,” Tomlin said. “It was not only our decision, it was his decision, and so it was mutual. There’s a lot of moving parts and free agency. And so I wouldn’t present it in the manner in which you asked it.” 

Before free agency started, the Steelers gave Justin Fields an offer that was pretty close to what the Jets eventually signed him to. But here’s the catch: while the Jets gave Fields a two-year, $40 million deal with $30 million guaranteed and a $15 million signing bonus, Pittsburgh’s offer didn’t guarantee any money after the first year. Basically, the Steelers wanted Fields to prove himself again without much financial security. Fields decided to bet on himself, and that gamble paid off big with the Jets’ guaranteed contract.

Justin Fields exploits Mike Tomlin’s “elite” defense

The “regrets” signal that they are very well aware of the fact that letting Fields go was a mistake. He had a strong performance against the Steelers last week, completing 16 of 22 passes for 218 yards and throwing one touchdown with no interceptions. Fields also showed his mobility, rushing for 48 yards on 12 carries and scoring two rushing touchdowns. This has raised eyebrows over Mike Tomlin’s defense and shows how Fields exploited his former team without any hesitation.

One of the smartest things Fields did on the play was quickly throwing the ball at Breece Hall’s feet to avoid getting sacked. That move deserves full credit. The best option was to hit the open five-yard out to Garrett Wilson. Fields needed to throw it quickly and accurately, and he did just that. One move that also misled the Steelers’ defence was Fields’ faking a handoff to running back Breece Hall with just 7:01 left in the game. So, in this match, Fields showed great awareness and made the right choices under pressure.

Field’s on field decision making and execution dismantled the Steelers’ defense and made Tomlin’s “top-tier” defensive line-up seem vulnerable. “I think we played well,” Fields said after the game. “I think we ran the ball well. Our offensive line did a great job. We only had one sack and that was in the red zone. As a team, we were docile and kind of keeping each other in the fight.” His performance and intent answer all the questions. Did Justin Fields make the right decision on his departure? Absolutely yes.