The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting serviceable QB play from Justin Fields, but the team should be careful about future commitment. Many people in the NFL world are buying into what Fields has done for the 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers thus far in the 2024 NFL Season, but his season is on pace to be eerily similar to what this NFC team got from their QB back in the 2022 NFL Season.
And since then for the New York Giants, it has been a total disaster. Daniel Jones and the Giants "broke out" in the 2022 NFL Season. The G-Men managed to win nine games, made the postseason, and even won a playoff game. That following offseason, the Giants re-signed Daniel Jones on a four-year, $160 million extension, and it's turned into one of the worst contracts in the NFL.
The Giants seemed desperate for some semblance of a franchise QB, and they fell for the 2022 version of Daniel Jones. The Steelers could be making the same mistake with Justin Fields
Back in 2022, here is what Daniel Jones produced:
317/472, 67.2% completion, 3205 yards, 15 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 200.3 yards per game, 92.5 passer rating, 708 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns
Here is what Justin Fields is on pace for if he were to play a full 17-game season:
327/463, 70.6% completion, 3,528 yards, 13 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 207.5 yards per game, 98.5 passer rating, 617 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns.
Aren't these two seasons very similar? Yes, if you ask me. Quite literally every single statistic here that makes up Daniel Jones' 2022 season and what Justin Fields is on pace for are very close to each other. In 2022, Jones was managing the offense. He largely took care of the football and was not asked to do much through the air, but did produce nicely with his legs.
It's hard to see how much differs here. No one thought the Giants were going to make a deep playoff run or win the Super Bowl, but they were a good team for the entirety of the 2022 NFL Season. The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the same boat; no one would pick this team to win the Super Bowl this year, but they know how to win games.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should not make the same mistake, but given that they have not had stability at QB for years now, they could be tricked into thinking Justin Fields is their guy. Another tidbit here is that Fields is in year four, and Daniel Jones was in year four during this 2022 season.