'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAJ7Vin//xAAfEAACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEAAUHExYhIjH/2gAIAQEAAT8Ap8vtrdzTFI3Uoa5pOoVnIaUlfoXO9d3J7peBVvIJhXP/xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARH/2gAIAQIBAT8AiP/EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEA/9oACAEDAQE/AFb/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Justin Fields and Russell Wilson will share the Steelers locker room in 2024.
Wilson is expected to be the starting quarterback, but that doesn't mean Fields won't see action either. However, it may not be in the form that most expected, as the team's special teams coordinator Danny Smith reportedly has considered having Fields return kicks under the new kickoff rules.
The news, shared by NotJustFootball via Ari Meirov on Twitter/X, kicked off a barrage of responses from fans. The vast majority of responses sided against the idea, but a few fans endorsed the move. Here's a taste of the conversation and the report that started it all:
"Justin Fields returning kicks? Do they want their QB of the future getting injured more not even playing QB?" one fan questioned.
"Seriously? Justin Fields returning kicks is the worst idea I've ever heard! Putting him at risk like that is just ridiculous!" one fan ranted.
Predictably, some fans gagged at the idea of the Steelers backup quarterback and the potential future of the franchise returning kicks. However, a small percentage endorsed the idea.
"He's probably the best runner on that team, so makes sense," one fan agreed.
"That's... not... SMART, but alright," one fan reasoned.
"Good. Finally let him play his natural position and let him develop and flourish" one fan said.
Exploring Justin Fields' comparison to Michael Vick
Many fans may have forgotten this, but Justin Fields' addition is not the first time the team has toyed with a veteran quarterback known for his mobile prowess. In 2015, the Steelers signed a 35-year-old Michael Vick.
Vick, who had built a reputation for slicing through defenses with his legs first and arm second, joined the Steelers following lengthy tenures with the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons.
He also had spent one season with the New York Jets ahead of his arrival in Pittsburgh. While Vick was signed with a reputation for outsprinting defenses, he was offered little chance to do so under Ben Roethlisberger. He managed to get on the field, turning in a 2-1 record with 99 yards on the ground.
Now, nearly a decade later, Fields has arrived as a quarterback with a reputation for running first and throwing second. Will the Steelers' new backup mobile quarterback turn in a better winning percentage than Vick?
