Terry Bradshaw’s opinion of Justin Fields vindicated as Pittsburgh Steelers claim made
Justin Fields has been used sparingly since losing his starting role with the Pittsburgh Steelers but Arthur Smith is adamant he is a starting NFL quarterback.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith claims the team "have got two starting quarterbacks" - a view which NFL legend Terry Bradshaw will be pleased to hear.
Over the first six weeks of the season, Justin Fields started for the Steelers and, despite performances that didn't exactly set the world alight, guided the team to a respectable 4-2 record. Fields racked up 1,106 passing yards through the air, threw five touchdowns against a single interception, and contributed an additional 231 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Yet head coach Mike Tomlin made the strategic call to swap him out for Russell Wilson - and the seasoned player has certainly stepped up to the plate. The Steelers are now serious AFC contenders, winning each game which Wilson has started to move clear atop the AFC North.
Fields saw action during the Week 11 divisional matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, where he took three snaps on offence in his first appearance since being sidelined. He rushed the ball twice, gaining 17 yards and crucially helped the Steelers in setting up victory formation with a nine-yard dash on second-and-10, before Najee Harris finished the job.
The Steelers were able to secure an 18-16 victory as a result, and Smith didn't hold back in his praise of Fields. He is convinced the 25-year-old has what it takes to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, an opinion shared by Bradshaw in the past.
“I don't view Justin as [being] in this role as a gadget guy,” Smith said. “Justin, to me, is we've got two starting quarterbacks. He's a hell of a football player, so if he can help the team, and there's - [it's a] fine line… So whether you have the opportunity to wrap things up and just the way the game was going, we thought we would throw something at him and put another dynamic football player out there, that certainly helped us, helped us win situational football.”
Smith continued: “I still view Justin and he is, I think, [a] premium starter in this league, so it's a fine line. You don't want to be a gadget guy, but he can help the team.”
FOX Sports and 'NFL Sunday' commentator Bradshaw, a four-time Super Bowl winner with the Steelers, previously expressed his shock at the decision to bench Fields. He originally wanted the former Chicago Bears quarterback to remain under center.
“I’m gonna stay with Fields," Bradshaw said, speaking to TMZ when asked who should start against the Jets last month. “I think he's played really good. He's such a great athlete, he can throw, and I think he just fits the team he has right now... Fields should stay.”
The 8-2 Steelers are preparing for their next challenge against the 2-8 Cleveland Browns in what promises to be an electrifying divisional clash on Thursday Night Football come Nov. 21.
