Video shows dejected Steelers QB Justin Fields explaining final botched snap

The center-quarterback exchange is one of the most critical plays of the snap and Justin Fields and Zach Frazier just can’t seem to get it right.

In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Colts, one of their countless botched exchanges of the season cost them what was shaping up to be a comeback victory.

Fields was looking to his right and never saw the snap, which hit him in the facemask. A clearly dejected Fields had this to say after the game:

It was my fault. We were going on the first leg kick, then Zach [Frazier] was identifying stuff. I felt the defensive backs rotating and changing the backend picture, so when Zach was identifying stuff, telling the O-line where to go, I was just trying to get that final picture before the snap came. At the end of the day, it’s on the first leg kick, so after I kicked my leg up, I gotta be ready for the ball, no matter you know when it’s going to come or not.

Fields recovered the fumble, but the harm had already been done. The offense lost 12 yards on the sack, and the drive — the Steelers’ last opportunity to tie or win the game — ended in a turnover on downs.

The sloppy center-to-quarterback exchange is a fundamental issue that needs to be remedied immediately before it leads to future failure. Instances like this have occurred twice in the 2024 season, once in the preseason versus the Detroit Lions and again in Week 2 in Denver.

Fields, Frazier and the offensive line need to nip this botchery in the bud because it looks very JV.