In a 2024 season filled with injuries, the Pittsburgh Steelers had another name added to the list ahead of Monday Night Football. Justin Fields suddenly appeared as questionable with a hamstring issue on Pittsburgh’s official injury report that came out Sunday morning.
Fields Suddenly On Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Report
According to Jay Glazer, who was informed directly by Mike Tomlin, Fields injured his hamstring late in the week, which was enough for the team to give him an injury designation. While the Steelers shouldn’t expect the injury to disrupt any plans for Monday night’s primetime game against the New York Giants, it is certainly something the team will keep its eye on. Having two viable quarterbacks is a problem that 31 other NFL teams would love to have. However, if the hamstring injury hampers Fields, backup responsibilities will fall to seventh-year veteran Kyle Allen.
Rumors and reports about Pittsburgh and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith considering using Fields and Russell Wilson in specific packages where both were on the field haven’t proved remotely correct. Still, if that was on the table for the Steelers, it certainly isn’t now. Fields’ athleticism is what makes him a threat at quarterback, so Pittsburgh is sure to take a cautious approach to an injury that tends to linger if not treated correctly. Despite the questionable designation, it would be surprising to see Fields active for the Steelers’ second consecutive game in the national spotlight.
Steelers Handling Fields Carefully
Fields showing up as questionable is the opposite of how the 2024 campaign began for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson couldn’t shake a calf injury that kept him from starting in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, which led to the former Chicago Bears quarterback leading Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record. While Fields was certainly an upgrade from the low bar of quarterback play since Ben Roethlisberger retired, Tomlin wanted that extra level that Wilson’s veteran experience could bring. A 37-15 win in Week 7 for Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers proved Tomlin right, although now there is no other choice but to start Wilson.
Pittsburgh has the Week 9 bye coming up after the Giants’ matchup, and then the Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders marks the beginning of the dreaded second-half stretch of the 2024 season. Having both quarterbacks ready to go for that brutal latter part of the campaign means handling Fields’ hamstring with patience, plus having the extra time coming up plays into his injury status. The most important thing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially with a 35-year-old starting quarterback, is for the backup to have no issues when called upon.
Conclusion
With Wilson sidelined to start the 2024 season, Fields exceeded expectations in the six games he started, and his 4-2 record is a good indicator of what he brought to the offense. If the Pittsburgh Steelers foresee a possible late-stage Peyton Manning situation in his final years with the Denver Broncos, having a healthy, proven backup behind the 13-year NFL veteran is an absolute must.
Fields has already shown impressive growth in his short time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Considering Wilson’s statement victory in Week 7, there are now two starting quarterbacks wearing black and gold. For the moment, at least, one is the answer for the present, and the other is a potential future for the franchise.
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