Justin Fields explains why he spurned Steelers to sign with Jets in free agency

After spending the 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Justin Fields had an offer on the table to return in 2025. Instead, he decided to spurn his old team to sign with the New York Jets in free agency. 

Fields started six games for the Steelers last season and went 4-2, but he got benched for Russell Wilson heading into Week 7. Although Fields clearly wasn’t happy with the decision, he said the benching had nothing to do with his decision to leave Pittsburgh. 

“You can’t take things personal,” Fields said this week, via ESPN.com. “That’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, not to take anything personal.”

The former first-round pick claims that’s not why he isn’t holding any grudges against his former team. 

“Coach [Mike] Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team, and I’m never going to go against that,” Fields said. “I’m not a selfish guy whatsoever, so I just tried to change my perspective, get better each and every day in practice.”

One big reason that Fields ended up signing in New York is because he wanted to play for new Jets coach Aaron Glenn. 

“At the end of the day, I was just excited of what the Jets had going on here with AG [Aaron Glenn] and just with the coaching staff, so it didn’t really have anything to do with Pittsburgh,” Fields said. 

Another possible reason for Fields’ decision to sign with the Jets over the Steelers likely had to do with money. The quarterback is getting $30 million guaranteed, including $10 million in guarantees for the 2026 season. However, the Steelers weren’t willing to guarantee him any money beyond the 2025 season, according to CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala. 

Over the past two seasons, Fields has gone 9-10 as a starter, which includes going 8-4 in his past 12 games. Not only did he go 4-2 with the Steelers, but he went 4-2 during his final six games with the Chicago Bears in 2023. 

“I think I did what I was asked to do and I’ve never had a problem with that,” Fields said of his time in Pittsburgh and Chicago. “I’ve always been a team player.”

One other reason Fields likely picked the Jets is because going to New York will reunite him with several former college teammates. Tight end Jeremy Ruckert, offensive lineman Josh Myers and star wideout Garrett Wilson all played with Fields at Ohio State, so the Jets new quarterback is already familiar with plenty of his new teammates.