Snap Mishaps Overshadow Justin Fields’ Promising Steelers Debut

Justin Fields’ much-anticipated debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason opener against the Houston Texans was a mix of promise and frustration. While Fields displayed flashes of his potential, his performance was overshadowed by two fumbled snap exchanges that derailed the team’s early drives, contributing to a 20-12 defeat.

Fields, who started in place of the recovering Russell Wilson , completed 5 of 6 passes for 67 yards and showcased his playmaking ability. However, two botched snaps between Fields and center Nate Herbig on the first two drives stalled the Steelers' momentum. Head coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged Fields’ positive moments but emphasized that the fumbles negated much of the good work done in those opening series.

“I thought he did some nice things,” Tomlin said, “But obviously, he was a component of the C-Q exchange, and from my perspective, that’s dual responsibility on the center and the quarterback. It negated a lot of good things going on in those first couple of drives.”

The first fumble occurred as the Steelers crossed midfield, costing the team valuable yardage. The second fumble, although recovered by fullback Jack Colletto , also disrupted the rhythm, leading to another stalled drive. Despite these setbacks, Fields maintained that the team could improve and took responsibility for the miscommunications.

Related: Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin Expects QB Russell Wilson to Play vs. Bills

After Fields exited, third-string quarterback Kyle Allen took over, completing 17 of 23 passes for 193 yards. The Steelers managed to rack up 344 total yards, but the miscues proved costly.

Looking ahead, Tomlin indicated that Russell Wilson is expected to be available for the next preseason game against the Buffalo Bills , potentially moving Fields back to a secondary role. Despite the rocky start, Fields remains optimistic about his development and the offense's potential under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.