Browns' Rival Has A Quarterback Controversy On Their Hands

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened up their OTAs on Tuesday and Justin Fields had some interesting things to say about his role in the quarterback room.

After practice on Tuesday, Steelers backup quarterback Justin Fields said, "I'm competing... I definitely don't have the mindset of sitting all year."

The competitor in you loves to hear that from a guy who is trying to turn his career around in his new home. I would contend that the rival in you should love to hear that coming from the Steelers franchise.

Justin Fields said he’s “definitely competing.. Russ knows that. We’re competing against each other every day.

“I definitely don’t have the mindset of me just sitting all year.” pic.twitter.com/pzI9rj5ldi

— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) May 21, 2024

The age-old saying is that if you have two quarterbacks that actually means you have none. While I am on record saying that I believe Pittsburgh had the best offseason in the AFC North, arguably the conference and NFL as a whole as well, the reality is that they signed two quarterbacks that have struggled. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields still have a ton of potential though.

Potential is a scary thing, especially when an organization latches onto that belief. Could Russell Wilson return to his Super Bowl form? Could Justin Fields find what made him one of the country's best in college? Both of these things are certainly possible, but there is only one quarterback on the field at once and Pittsburgh can't play both guys.

The bigger question in the Steelers' quarterback competition is how long is the leash. How many mistakes is Russell Wilson allowed to make before they give up on him? On the flip side, what does Justin Fields have to do to prove his worth and his value? The questions are bountiful, but for me, these stand atop the rest.

Nov 19, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) throws a pass during the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest concern is how the team actually handles the situation. They can say all of the right things to the media, that they are supporting the guy in charge but there is always a shadow of a doubt that even the players likely have this offseason.

The Steelers franchise was built on winning. Mike Tomlin has never had a season below .500 and I'm almost certain he doesn't plan on this year being the first. For Browns fans, always remember, if you have two quarterbacks you don't have one.