REPORT: Steelers’ Special Teams Coach Has Discussed Using Justin Fields to Return Kicks

This probably isn’t the news Justin Fields – or his agent – wanted to hear, but here it goes.

Jaylen Warren, a running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was on teammate Cam Heywards’s podcast earlier this week when asked whether he would like to return kicks. Remember, the NFL made several changes to its kickoff rules this year, including the provision that the return team could have two players back deep to return the ball.

We’re reasonably sure Cordarrelle Patterson will be one of the deep players for Pittsburgh. Who will be the other one? Jaylen Warren says it could be him. But he also noted that Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith wants to try quarterback Justin Fields as a returner.

“I would, I think it’s pretty cool — as soon as you touch the ball, that’s when everything starts to happen,” Warren said. “Our special teams coordinator was talking about Justin Fields being back there. . . . We looked at him like, Justin Fields will be back there? I think it’s cool.”

Clearly, as a quarterback with over 2,000 yards rushing in his three-year career, Fields is capable of returning kicks. However, if you’re Fields and see yourself as an eventual starting QB in this league, why would you risk getting seriously injured returning kicks and possibly miss your chance?

Russell Wilson struggled last season. Pittsburgh is less dysfunctional than Denver, but he could struggle again. Imagine Tomlin wanting to give Wilson the hook, and you can’t go because you sprained an MCL returning kicks. I’m not an NFL agent. I only play one on the internet. However, if I represented Justin Fields, I would tell him to politely decline this “opportunity.”