Troy Polamalu Once Thought Justin Fields Was a Linebacker

Former Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety and Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu is looking forward to seeing Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the Black and Gold. Especially Fields who he once met.

“I’m really excited for Justin and Russell. I actually met Justin Fields one time,” Polamalu recently said on the Big K Morning Show. “And to be honest, I didn’t know it was him. I was just like, ‘It’s a football player, I want to say hi to him.’ But here’s what’s funny about it. When I left, I was like, ‘I met that linebacker over there.’ I pointed and (the person next to me) was like, ‘No, no, that’s Justin Fields, the quarterback for the Bears.’ He’s huge. These guys are different these days.”

Fields took a small step forward in 2023, his third year as Chicago’s starting quarterback. The Ohio State alum threw 370 times, completing 227 for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns. He threw nine interceptions and maintained an 86.3 passer rating and a 5.29 adjusted net yards per attempt.

In 2022, he was 192 of 318 for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, an 85.2 quarterback rating and 4.63 adjusted net yards per attempt.

Since 2022, Fields has the most rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,800 yards and 6.3 yards per carry. Both figures are higher than Lamar Jackson’s.

Polamalu’s former teammate and safety partner Ryan Clark thinks general manager Omar Khan should be hoping for Fields to overtake Wilson as the starting quarterback because that means the Steelers would have their QB of the future. Wilson is 35 and on the back end of his career, while Fields is 25 and entering his fourth season.

“I want Justin Fields to win because that gives me an opportunity to have a quarterback of the future. Not a bridge guy. Not a guy on the back end of his career, but a young talented quarterback that needs the right pieces around him, who showed signs of being very good late last year,” Clark said on Get Up Wednesday.

Dan Orlovsky thinks the QB battle is going to come down to whoever fixes their fatal flaw, which is holding onto the ball too long and taking unnecessary sacks.

“Who’s going to take the less ridiculous sacks? In the last two seasons, Russell Wilson has taken 100 sacks. Justin Fields has taken 99. No other quarterback in the NFL has taken more than 80. So who could get that out of there game just a little bit? Justin, I would be more inclined because he’s younger,” Orlovsky said.

“And which one of these two guys gets rid of the negative plays? Negative plays are sacks, fumbles and interceptions. Here’s another one: Justin Fields in the last two seasons has 145 negative plays. Russell Wilson has 135. No other quarterback in the NFL has a buck 15 (115). So you’re intrigued, you’re encouraged, but which one of those guys gets rid of those fatal flaws of their game more constantly?”