Justin Fields said Tuesday he “considered” a return to Pittsburgh. Instead, he signed with the Jets.
The Steelers signed Aaron Rodgers, who played for the Jets last season.
So, it’s no coincidence that the NFL has the Steelers and Jets opening the season against each other Sunday.
“There’s no storyline for me,” Fields said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “It’s ball for me, so I’ll let you guys kind of handle the storylines, the news lines and stuff like that. In the locker room, we just keep it straight ball.”
Fields’ only encounters with Rodgers have come in postgame quarterback handshakes when they were in the same division, and Fields said he once exchanged jerseys with Rodgers. The players swapped teams in the offseason, with the Jets choosing to move on from Rodgers, and Fields choosing to turn down the Steelers and head to the Jets.
Rodgers now is on his third team in four years and Fields on his third in three years.
Fields is not sweating another meeting against the four-time league MVP in what is his Jets debut.
“Cool, calm, collected,” Fields said, describing his mentality.
Fields went 4-2 as the Steelers starter last season before the team replaced him with Russell Wilson. He threw only one pass the rest of the season.
Fields, though, said he has no ill feelings toward the Steelers.
“No, not at all,” Fields said. “Like I told you guys before, I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason. I was in a spot last year where I was able to see the game from a different perspective. I learned a lot from Russ and just all the other vets there, so not at all.”