Justin Fields’ Jets debut had Steelers openly regretting 2024 benching

Justin Fields put together one of the best performances of his NFL career in his New York Jets debut last Sunday, and he did so against the team that had unceremoniously benched him less than a year earlier.

Fields took the revenge game narrative at face value, finishing his Jets debut 16-of-22 for 218 yards and a touchdown, while adding 48 yards and two more scores on the ground. While his team was unable to come away with the win, his performance raised a lot of eyebrows on both sidelines.

Many within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization were even lamenting the team's decision to bench Fields a year ago, at least according to a report from The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

Russini reported on Saturday that multiple people within the Steelers organization were delivering pointed "told ya so" messages about their decision to both bench him and let him walk.

This validated the internal pushback Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin faced when he originally benched Fields despite his early success, and it also validated the Jets' decision to sign the fifth-year quarterback this offseason.

Justin Fields' stellar Jets debut caused immediate regret from the Steelers

The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract this past offseason with the hope that the former Chicago Bears first-round pick would give the team a high-upside bridge quarterback in the wake of the Aaron Rodgers era.

Fields wasn't necessarily brought in with the expectation that he would be the long-term quarterback solution in New York, but the Jets were still determined to give him every opportunity to succeed and prove he can be that guy.

The Jets constructed an offense around Fields, and if Sunday's offensive performance was any indication, they're already reaping the rewards of their efforts. Fields and the Jets' offense were fantastic in Week 1.

The Steelers got a front-row seat to Fields' brilliance, and while Pittsburgh managed to steal the victory, there were more than a few on that sideline wondering what they had given up.

In fact, the Steelers actually attempted to re-sign Fields this offseason before he ultimately chose the Jets. Pittsburgh eventually pivoted to Rodgers after missing out on both Fields and Matthew Stafford, leaving them without the quarterback they had benched just months earlier.

Russini's report did indicate that the Steelers were very pleased with Rodgers' debut as well, insisting that the organization is "more than happy" with the future Hall of Famer.

But it's clear that watching Fields thrive in his new environment opened old wounds about a decision that divided the organization from the start. Only time will tell if those regrets grow stronger as the season unfolds.

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