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The Pittsburgh Steelers are off to a great start this season. They’ve won their first three games and have the best defense in the NFL, allowing the fewest points and yards per game. Additionally, their quarterback play has been outstanding since Ben Roethlisberger’s elbow injury in 2019.
They’re doing really well!
This offseason, Pittsburgh made two significant moves. They signed Russell Wilson in free agency and traded with the Chicago Bears for Justin Fields. Wilson started as QB1 but got injured, giving Fields a chance to shine. And boy, did he! Fields led the Steelers to three straight wins, significantly boosting his reputation.
Former NFL GM Doug Whaley recently shared some controversial thoughts on 93.7 The Fan about how he’d handle Justin Fields’ contract situation if he were Steelers GM Omar Khan. “My immediate thought is if I’m Omar, I go into [Art Rooney II’s office],” Whaley told the station. “What are you willing to pay this guy [Justin Fields]? Because if he continues on this trajectory, you’re talking 40 to 50 million. Are we ready to do that?”
Whaley didn’t stop there; he suggested something even more bizarre. “Do you throw Russell Wilson in there and maybe lose a couple games for the future?” He said. “Meaning, then you take Fields off the playing field…You don’t have to pay him, but you already got your answer.”
So basically, Whaley is suggesting benching Fields to save money in the long run by making sure his market value doesn’t skyrocket. This idea seems pretty wild.
The Steelers have always been about winning and maintaining a strong football culture under Coach Mike Tomlin, who has never had a losing season. To suggest they might bench Fields just to save money contradicts everything the team stands for.
In short, the notion of benching Fields for financial reasons is absurd. The Steelers will only bench him if his performance drops or if Wilson offers a better chance at victory. Financial considerations should not dictate such critical decisions for a team with championship aspirations.
