The Chicago Bears' former quarterback, who was traded to the Steelers in March, says the idea of him fielding kicks was "taken out of context."
Fields doused cold water on the idea, which had been sparked by recent comments made by Steelers running back Jaylen Warren on teammate Cam Heyward's podcast. Warren had suggested that Pittsburgh's special teams coordinator had floated the idea of Fields being used as a kick returner this season.
Speaking to The Post-Gazette, Fields clarified that Warren's comments had been misinterpreted. "Nah, I think everybody kind of interpreted it wrong," Fields said. "Coach Danny (Smith) was basically just trying to send a message that no matter who you are, you could be on special teams. He just used that as an example."
Fields further implied that the whole ordeal had been blown out of proportion, saying, "It’s funny how serious social media takes everything. It was kind of funny to me when everybody was making a big deal about it for no reason."
Fields' assertion that he will not be fielding kicks comes as the NFL prepares to implement wholesale changes to its kick-return rules in 2024. The move follows a series of rule changes aimed at enhancing the safety of kickoffs, but which have also had the unintended consequence of making returns less frequent.
Meanwhile, Fields' focus remains on competing for the starting quarterback job in Pittsburgh, despite the presence of presumed starter Russell Wilson. "I’m definitely competing," Fields said earlier this month. "Russ knows that. We’re competing against each other every day."
"I definitely don’t have the mindset of me just sitting all year. I’m coming in here every day giving it all I got and pushing him to be his best, and he’s pushing me to be my best every single day," Fields added.
Fields' athleticism and versatility have drawn comparisons to other dual-threat quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray. However, it appears that his abilities will be primarily utilized as a passer and runner, rather than as a kick returner, in Pittsburgh.
