Justin Fields is stuck in the NFL’s version of read receipts on, no reply. The Steelers haven’t offered him a deal, free agency is right around the corner, and the clock is ticking. Now, if this were a rom-com, this is the part where the guy realizes he can’t live without her and makes some big, dramatic gesture. But in Pittsburgh? Silence. No long-term commitment, no grand declarations—just a whole lot of waiting.Now, if we consider the Steelers’ president and owner, Art Rooney II’s statement, the team’s priority is to either sign Fields or Russell Wilson. And let’s be real—the odds are favoring Fields considering the guy’s 10 years younger and much athletic. But no one knows what the Steelers are planning. Are they playing cool or are they about to let him walk out of the door? However, the team’s offensive tackle, Troy Fautanu, has a neutral answer to this.When asked if Fields would be returning to the Steel City, Fautanu went straight up and kinda urged the fans to wait a couple of weeks more: “I think we should have the answer to that question when free agency begins on Wednesday, March 12.” Hmm, let’s rewind to a few days back for a moment.You see, if reports are to be believed, Justin Fields is open to returning to the Steelers, there’s no denying that. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes that Fields will return to the Steel City on one condition. Go ahead, take a wild (but obvious) guess. According to Fowler, Fields wants a clear path to starting in the 2025 season. Translation? No more benching, 17 starts in the regular season (if lucky enough, then the postseason as well).“This one’s complicated because I do know there’s some sentiment in the building for bringing back Justin Fields,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “Both sides, Fields and the Steelers, are certainly open to a potential reunion. Fields wants a realistic shot to start. He wants a clear path to be the guy for a full season, which he was not last year.” Bang on, every bit of it.The guy gave an insane start to the team in the absence of Russell Wilson. And despite going 4-2 in his first six starts, the QB was neglected because, you know, the team had a veteran. Now, the million-dollar (or, well, multi-million-dollar) question is: Will Pittsburgh bring him back in 2025?The team’s likely consider both options, but they’re probably gonna favor Justin Fields—unless they’ve an outside option in mind. But what about Russell Wilson?Russell Wilson’s future looks bright—fans, not so muchSteelers Nation has waited for over a month to find out the Steelers’ QB1 for the 2025 season. Bet they can wait a couple of weeks more. But brace yourselves, you might expect a Great Gatsby Moment—where everyone’s rooting for Fields to make a comeback, but reality is set on moving with Russell Wilson. No, not a typo.Recently, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette chose Russell Wilson as the Steelers’ QB1 in 2025 when asked about the same. And guess what? Beat reporter Mark Kaboly agrees with Mackey’s statement. To his response, Kaboly stated, “I think, I agree with him. I think, I agree with him, I think Justin’s gonna find more money, more opportunity, a better place somewhere.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers)Uh-oh! That’s not what the fans were expecting. Sure, Kaboly reportedly changed his opinion and believed that Fields is more likely to return to the Steelers. However, he suggested that Art Rooney II may prefer Wilson over Fields. You see, Kaboly believes that Fields may get a better opportunity outside of Pittsburgh.And if the Steelers didn’t offer him an extension before the new league year, the guy will be an unrestricted free agent. That means the Pittsburgh team won’t franchise tag him. Voilà. That gives Fields an option to explore the market and find a perfect roster to lead in 2025. But one thing’s clear: that’s not gonna solve the Steelers’ QB issues.I mean, if the team signs Wilson over Fields, it’s likely the guy’s gonna play a couple of seasons more. There you go. Back to ground zero. And at this point, the team can’t afford to start looking for another QB every year. At the end of the day, Justin Fields is the perfect option for the Steelers. And as Troy Fautanu says, we will get an answer on when free agency begins on Wednesday, March 12.The post Steelers Starter Lays Out 15 Day Deadline for Justin Fields’ Return as Russell Wilson’s New Contract Talks Begin appeared first on EssentiallySports.