On his latest 4th and 1 podcast, Cam Newton didn’t hold back when discussing Russell Wilson’s recent performances with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Newton raised eyebrows by questioning whether Wilson’s success is truly his own or largely due to the dominance of the Steelers’ defense.
Russ Is Cooking—But Who’s Doing the Prep Work?
Newton acknowledged Wilson’s moments of brilliance but argued that his role has been overstated. “Is he making some big-time throws? Yes, but bro, he’s not doing anything different,” Newton remarked. The Steelers are off to a 4-0 start with Russ, but Newton noted their competition—teams like the Jets, Giants, and Commanders—hasn’t exactly been top-tier. He pointed to a critical stat: “Chris Boswell kicked all the points [against the Ravens].” For Newton, the Steelers’ defense and special teams have been the true game-changers.
Red Zone Struggles Highlight Team Reliance
Newton pointed out Wilson’s glaring inefficiencies in critical moments, such as a 2-for-9 conversion rate in the red zone against Baltimore. “That defense did their motherf***ing thing,” Newton emphasized, underlining how the Steelers’ defensive unit has carried the team. This isn’t to say Newton dismissed Wilson’s abilities entirely, but he placed a spotlight on how the narrative around Wilson might be misleading.
Comparing Russell Wilson to Joe Burrow
Newton then contrasted Wilson with Joe Burrow, whose leadership has been the lifeline for the Bengals. “If you give Joe Burrow the Steelers’ defense, that combination versus the Detroit Lions would be something I’d want to see,” Newton said. The former Panthers quarterback implied that Burrow’s grit and resilience make him more critical to his team’s success than Wilson is to the Steelers.
Following Thursday nights 19-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns, there might be more fans asking the same questions as Cam.
