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This headline from Steelers Wire caught my attention: “Justin Fields admits preference for Jets HC Aaron Glenn over Steelers HC Mike Tomlin.”
Steelers Wire is published by USA Today Sports Media group. They have one of these “Wires” for every NFL team.
I’m like, wow, Fields said in a USA Today publication that he prefers to play for a rookie head coach over a future Hall of Fame coach.
I don’t mean that as a shot at Glenn; it’s where we stand right now. We know what Tomlin can do as an NFL head coach, with two Super Bowl appearances and one win. He has a 191–118–2 (.617) life NFL coaching record, including playoff games. It remains to be seen what Glenn can do. He might do great. We will see.
But here is one thing to consider about the USA Today headline – It was totally misleading, and Fields didn’t say he “preferred” Glenn over Tomlin. He is too smart to say something like that. Here is what he said:
“Coach Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team, and I’m never going to go against that,” Fields stated. “That’s one thing I’ve learned over the years—not to take anything personal. At the end of the day, I was just excited about what the Jets had going on over here with [Aaron Glenn] and with the coaching staff.”
What is going on with the internet and misleading headlines is troubling.
People are trying to get you to click on stories with salacious headlines that don’t jibe with the story.
The reason Fields picked the Jets over the Pittsburgh was simple – they made him an incredible contract offer.
For a QB with a 14-30 lifetime record as an NFL starter to get a 2-year deal for $40 million with $30 million guaranteed is outstanding money for the player. The guarantee is the key, and $30 million guaranteed for him was a fantastic number. That is life-changing money.
The Steelers were interested in bringing him back, but for for nowhere near that kind of money.
He played for them last year on the last year of his rookie contract, which wasn’t huge by NFL standards, a four-year deal worth $18.8 million.
If things don’t work out for him this year with the Jets, he will walk away with $30 million in his pocket, no matter what. So if it doesn’t work out with Gang Green for whatever reason, and I’m not predicting it won’t, but if it doesn’t, he will get the $30 million no matter what.
So if he struggles and they move in, it could turn into 1-year deal for $30 million. That is darn good, especially considering his NFL resume, which could be better. That is life-changing money.
That offer was sensational for Fields.
I’m sure they [Pittsburgh] didn’t expect him [Fields] to get that kind of offer,” said Steelers Insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “The guy won 10 games in three years in Chicago and played six games last year. That is not a quality body of work to get a $40 million two-year deal, but that is what we see in free agency.”
On January 15, Dulac said he believed Fields would re-sign with the Steelers.
“I believe Justin Fields will be re-signed,” Dulas said. “But I don’t think it will be anything crazy.”
Well, it turned out to be “crazy” money, at least from the Steelers standpoint, and he signed with the Jets.
So this wasn’t a case of Fields picking the Jets over the Steelers because of the coaches; it was about money, and who could blame him? The Jets gave him a hell of a deal.
April 14, 2025
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