Justin Fields Addresses Steelers Revenge Game

As he gets set to face his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in his first contest as a member of the New York Jets, Justin Fields isn't leaning into any of the "revenge game" narratives or treating this matchup different than any other on the schedule.

"It's no storyline for me," Fields said on Tuesday. "It's ball for me. So, I'll let you guys kind of handle the storylines, the news lines and stuff like that. In the locker room, we just keep it straight ball."

Though Fields is downplaying the nature of his impending Week 1 bout vs. Pittsburgh, he's still likely carrying some extra motivation into the game. Most players would tell you that they get a bit more juiced up whenever they face a former team of theirs, and the 26-year-old is assuredly in that same boat.

Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) runs the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

He even admitted that even though he's not personally paying close attention to the plot lines emanating from the matchup, it's still a cool opportunity to go up against his old teammates as the 2025 campaign commences.

"I mean, yeah, the storyline's crazy," Fields said. "I mean, that's why the NFL set us up for Week 1, just for that. But, yeah, it's cool. Cool to kind of see that. And it's gonna be fun going up against these guys on Sunday."

A first-round pick out of Ohio State in the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields spent the first three years of his career with the Chicago Bears before a trade sent him to the Steelers last March.

He started the first six games of the 2024 season while Russell Wilson was on the mend with a calf injury. Fields impressed over that stretch, throwing for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and an interception while leading Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record, though he took a back seat once Wilson returned and only saw limited playing time within specific packages from that point forward.

The Steelers prioritized re-signing Fields ahead of free agency after declining his fifth-year option last offseason. He chose to test out the open market, however, and landed with the Jets on a two-year deal worth $40 million, replacing Aaron Rodgers in the process after the franchise's new regime of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn opted to move on from the four-time MVP.

Though Fields isn't harboring any negative feelings towards Pittsburgh, he'd certainly like to make a statement against it and start his stint in New York off on the right foot this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

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