Justin Fields Back After Injury, Steelers Still Planning Package of Plays

PITTSBURGH — Quarterback Justin Fields is not expected to miss any more time with the hamstring injury that held him out of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 8 game against the New York Giants, and the Steelers still have future plans for their backup quarterback.

Fields was the emergency quarterback for the Steelers’ win over the Giants last Monday after suffering a hamstring injury in walkthrough on Sunday, head coach Mike Tomlin said this week. Kyle Allen dressed as Russell Wilson’s backup in place of Fields.

“We didn’t want a small problem to become a big problem,” Tomlin said. “We designated him the third quarterback, but given the bye week and the week that’s ahead of us, we’re not imagining that to be a problem, but again, we’ll let participation be our guide in terms of how we divide the labor up.”

Fields has been a full participant in practice both days so far this week, including a padded practice on Wednesday. He threw a nice pass to new Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams in the individual portion of practice on Thursday.

At some point, the Steelers insist that they will unveil a package of plays for the former first-round pick and elite athlete. Fields remains tied for 14th in the NFL in rushing touchdowns with five, despite not having played since Week 6. He is second to Lamar Jackson among non-running backs.

Tomlin has been asked about the idea of a package of plays for Fields repeatedly, dating all the way back to training camp, but has remained coy about what the team actually has planned.

“I would always anticipate seeing that as long as both guys are on our roster,” he said on Tuesday.

Fields didn’t play at all as the backup in Week 7 against the New York Jets, Wilson’s first game as the starter, before his injury the next week. Could this be the week we see a Fields package?

Time will tell.

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