Justin Fields remains unbeaten as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback and against Jim Harbaugh.
Fields, who had one of the signature performances of his Ohio State career when he led the Buckeyes to a 56-27 win over Michigan in 2019 despite battling a knee injury, improved to 2-0 all-time against Harbaugh on Sunday. He handed the former Wolverines coach his first loss as the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers as the Steelers defeated the Chargers, 20-10, to improve to 3-0 on the season.
The former Buckeye signal-caller, who has started all of the Steelers’ first three games this season with Russell Wilson sidelined by a calf injury, continued to strengthen his case that he should be the Steelers’ long-term starter as he completed 25 of 32 passing attempts for 245 yards and one touchdown with one interception while also rushing for a 5-yard touchdown.
The touchdown run in the second quarter was Fields’ first as a Steeler.
.@justnfields for six
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 22, 2024
Stream on NFL+: https://t.co/COxKRnr6Mc pic.twitter.com/DfTKdGmFlC
Fields’ 55-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, the second-longest touchdown pass of his NFL career, served as the game’s effective dagger as it gave the Steelers a two-score lead they would hold for the remainder of the contest.
.@justnfields @CalvinAustinIII for the 55-yard TD
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 22, 2024
Stream on NFL+: https://t.co/COxKRnr6Mc pic.twitter.com/2dF7ZEPifv
Fields only got to face Michigan once in his Ohio State career because the 2020 edition of The Game was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the Wolverines. By taking advantage of his second chance to beat Harbaugh on Sunday, though, Fields made a big statement about his capability as an NFL quarterback and may have positioned himself to seize the starting job outright for the Steelers, who acquired him from the Chicago Bears this offseason for the low price of only a sixth-round pick (which could become a fourth-round pick if he plays more than 50% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps this year).