Steelers beat writer rips Justin Fields, calls QB battle 'fictionalized'
No one thinks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields is the second coming of Ben Roethlisberger. There's a reason the Chicago Bears saw fit to trade him to the Steelers for almost nothing and use the No. 1 overall pick on his replacement.
But if you listen to Steelers beat writer and curmudgeon Mark Madden, Fields has no shot in the NFL, and the quarterback competition between Fields and Russell Wilson is meaningless because Fields can't play.
Madden compared Fields to former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett as a miss by a team on a first-round pick who can't play.
If Fields has to play, all will be revealed. Just like with Pickett.
That’s what makes the fictionalized quarterback competition at Steelers camp so laughable: The decision, which has long since been made, is obvious. Fields is potential that hasn’t much been realized and likely won’t be. Wilson is polished, professional and knowledgeable.
Russell Wilson knows how to play QB. Justin Fields doesn't. READ! https://t.co/LL96shTF7M
— Mark Madden (@MarkMaddenX) August 6, 2024
Fields is in the mix to start because of a calf strain that kept Wilson out of team activities for nearly the first two weeks of training camp. Once Wilson is back to 100 percent, we will really see how serious the Steelers are about a quarterback competition.
As for Fields, the scheme that new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is implementing is tailor-made for what he does well. However, there's no denying Fields needs game reps to see if he can take better care of the football. Madden is clearly convinced Fields is a lost cause, but that remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers beat writer rips Justin Fields, calls QB battle 'fictionalized'
