Aaron Rodgers’ masterful debut for the Steelers, a pristine 22-of-30 for 244 yards and four touchdowns, should have been the only highlight. But for Mike Tomlin and his staff, the victory was overshadowed by a haunting specter on the other side: Justin Fields, the quarterback they benched for Russell Wilson and then let walk away, ended up accounting for three touchdowns of his own and leaving Pittsburgh wrestling with a brutal case of ‘what if?’

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the sight of Fields commanding the New York Jets’ offense with poise and freedom triggered a wave of quiet vindication within the Steelers’ own building. “Last year, when the Steelers had both Wilson and Justin Fields, coach Mike Tomlin made the switch from Fields to Wilson six games in, despite some internal pushback and with the Steelers 4-2,” Russini reported.

“Fields had plenty of supporters in the locker room and even on the staff. The team rolled with Wilson, who gave them a spark early but ultimately flamed out. So when the Steelers lined up against the Jets last week and saw Fields on the other sideline – playing refreshed, decisive and free — let’s just say there were more than a few people saying ‘told ya so’ inside the organization.” This internal tension unfolded against the backdrop of a stunning individual duel.

On one side, Rodgers was everything Pittsburgh could have asked for. Surgical, precise, and fiercely motivated, he carved up his former team with a rating of 136.7 to seal a dramatic 34-32 victory. He was the four-time MVP they waited for, a walking statement of intent. After the game, he wielded his words like daggers, sharpened by the perceived slight of his Jets exit: “I was happy to beat everybody associated with the Jets.”

Yet, on the other sideline, the quarterback Tomlin let walk away was making an even louder statement without saying a word.

Tomlin’s conviction meets Fields’ redemption

Fields, playing with a liberated fury, wasn’t just good; he was, as ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith argued, the most impressive debutant of Week 1. “Justin Fields shocked the hell out of me, because he was throwing some dimes out there,” Smith exclaimed. “He wasn’t just running with the football. He was throwing some dimes… The offense was moving.”

Fields’ stat line, 16-of-22 for 218 yards and a passing TD plus 48 rushing yards and two more scores, embodied the dynamic, dual-threat potential that a segment of the Steelers’ organization believed was worth building around.

Tomlin’s public stance has been one of cool detachment, calling the split a mutual decision of free agency. But the optics are brutal. The quarterback he chose last year, Russell Wilson, flamed out after a brief spark before being traded away to the Giants himself. Meanwhile, Fields nearly orchestrated a win against him, showcasing the very ceiling of potential that his supporters in Pittsburgh always saw.

The game itself was a heart-pounding, back-and-forth affair that showcased both quarterbacks’ brilliance. After Rodgers was sacked on his very first snap, he coolly responded by engineering a drive capped with a 22-yard touchdown strike to Ben Skowronek. But Fields, playing with a point to prove, answered immediately, connecting with his old Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson on a perfect 33-yard touchdown pass to reclaim the lead.

Things changed in the fourth quarter when Rodgers threw his third TD pass of the game. Pittsburgh’s Kenneth Gainwell forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff return, and the Steelers recovered. Two plays later, Rodgers found Calvin Austin III for an 18-yard score, followed by a jaw-dropping 50-second sequence where he threw two more touchdowns.

Yet, Fields wasn’t done. He engineered a methodical response, culminating in a dramatic, high-stepping 1-yard touchdown run to put the Jets back on top 32-31 with just over seven minutes left. The game ultimately hinged on two final, breathtaking plays.

The win, while crucial, feels pyrrhic, sealed by a career-long 60-yard field goal from Chris Boswell, was ultimately secured by the new Steeler, Rodgers. But the game was unmistakably haunted by the one who got away, leaving Mike Tomlin to answer for a past decision that his own locker room never fully believed in.

The Steelers have their legendary quarterback for today, but they very well may have let their quarterback for the next decade slip away, and the entire league is watching him thrive in New York. For a coach whose legacy is built on steadfast conviction, that’s a haunting reality no victory can completely silence.