Justin Fields recently all but laughed off a teammate’s suggestion that he’ll be a potential kick returner for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. Now some fans may be laughing right back, as EA Sports’ newest trailer for the upcoming “Madden NFL 25” kicks off with none other than Fields … returning kicks.

The Steelers are playing the rival Cleveland Browns in the opening of the trailer, and within seconds, Dustin Hopkins boots the ball into the waiting arms of Fields, who’s sporting his new No. 2 Steelers jersey and quickly pulls off a reverse handoff to new Steelers return specialist Cordarelle Patterson.

Is it a playful jab, or a sign of what’s to come? It depends on who you listen to. Steelers running back Jaylen Warren first indicated in May that special teams coordinator Danny Smith “was talking about Justin Fields being back there” as a return man, thanks to the NFL’s new rules re-incentivizing kick returns.

Fields, however, said later that “everybody kind of interpreted it wrong,” suggesting “Coach Danny was … just trying to send a message that no matter who you are, you could be on special teams.”

All the while, the former Chicago Bears starter is reportedly trailing Russell Wilson in the Steelers’ open competition for the top quarterback job. Wilson, who joined the team on a one-year deal in March, has maintained “pole position” in the battle since Fields’ arrival, per head coach Mike Tomlin. Fields, meanwhile, is coming off a splashy but tumultuous three-year run in Chicago, where he excelled as a runner but struggled with turnovers, preceding the Bears’ No. 1 pick of Caleb Williams this spring.