Justin Fields will get yet another opportunity to show what he can do while running the Pittsburgh Steelers first-team offense. But unlike his previous opportunities, this one will be during Pittsburgh's regular season-opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
Fields is starting in place of Russell Wilson, who aggravated his calf during practice late last week. Wilson -- who missed significant time this summer after injuring his calf just before the start of training camp -- was labeled as questionable for Sunday's game after he was a limited practice participant Thursday and Friday.
A former first-round pick, Field was acquired by the Steelers this offseason (via a trade with the Bears) after Pittsburgh traded fellow former first-round pick Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia. At the time of the acquisition, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Wilson had "pole position" over Fields based on Wilson's overall body of work in the NFL.
But Fields' performance this offseason raised questions as to whether or not a legitimate quarterback battle was brewing in Pittsburgh. While that was debated throughout the summer, Wilson never relinquished his position as QB1. Wilson, despite missing significant practice time, was largely effective during his time running the first-team offense during the preseason. He went 10 of 12 passing in two preseason appearances that included a touchdown drive during his final possession of the exhibition season.
Fields also had success during the preseason (he completed 70.4% of his throws and was the Steelers' leading rusher), but the majority of the drives he led did not lead to points. He was also on the field for several unsuccessful center-QB exchanges.
That being said, Fields' performance during training camp and in the preseason was largely positive. He showcased his accurate deep passing as well as his ability to make plays with his feet. Those attributes led Tomlin to say recently that it was reasonable to expect the Steelers to implement several in-game packages for Fields.
On Sunday, though, Fields will get the chance to run the show in what could be an opportunity for him to strengthen his case to be Pittsburgh's long-term option at quarterback.