The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled at the quarterback position for the past few years.
Former first-round pick Kenny Pickett didn’t make enough happen on the field to keep his job and the franchise sent him packing.
Then, instead of drafting his replacement, Pittsburgh brought in not one, but two former starters, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
Wilson is widely believed to be the Steelers’ starter this year and Fields is viewed as the quarterback of the future.
In the meantime, there have been plenty of rumors and hearsay about how Pittsburgh will use Fields in 2024 including the possibility of special teams play and as a dual-threat player.
Former NFL star receiver Chad Johnson addressed this issue on “Nightcap,” a show he hosts alongside Shannon Sharpe.
“Justin Fields is the future and Justin Fields needs to not allow them [Steelers] to make him somewhat of a gimmick and stay true to yourself as a starting quarterback which he will be next year for the Steelers,” Johnson said.
JUSTIN FIELDS AIN’T NO GIMMICK 🗣️@ShannonSharpe @ochocinco pic.twitter.com/VBNMragZc1
— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) June 1, 2024
Fields has excelled as a runner and posted a 1,000-yard season and eight touchdowns on the ground in 2022 alone.
Last year, he accounted for over 600 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
However, Johnson and other talking heads believe that Fields should stick to his primary position to avoid serious injury.
Although it’s been a few years, Pittsburgh has a history of using dual-threat players, most notably Kordell Stewart.
“Slash” was a gimmick player who caught passes and ran the ball before becoming the Steelers’ full-time QB in 1997, his third year in the NFL.
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