The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves navigating a quarterback quandary after star quarterback Justin Fields suffered a hamstring injury during practice. The timing couldn’t be worse for Pittsburgh, who had been planning to roll out a strategic two-quarterback approach in their upcoming matchup against the New York Giants. However, the injury puts Fields in jeopardy of missing the game, with an MRI scheduled to determine the extent of the damage.
Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer, a close associate of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, shared insight into Fields’ status, indicating he’s likely out for the game against the Giants. This would be a significant shift in game planning for the Steelers, who intended to utilize Fields in specific offensive packages. If Fields does sit, it’s expected that Pittsburgh will place more of the offensive load on veteran Russell Wilson, who recently made his first start of the season in a strong showing against the New York Jets. Wilson is anticipated to start again, with Kyle Allen designated as his backup.
Whether Fields might be listed as an emergency third quarterback or deemed entirely inactive remains uncertain, though caution is likely the Steelers’ preferred approach. With a bye week on the horizon, Pittsburgh has the opportunity to let Fields fully recover before they face the Washington Commanders in two weeks.
This potential absence leaves the Steelers with tough adjustments to make, as Fields’ dual-threat capability has proven instrumental in their offensive scheme. Should Wilson start as expected, the Steelers may lean more heavily on their run game and conservative passing routes to avoid putting unnecessary strain on their remaining quarterback rotation.
