NBA legend Paul Pierce thinks he knows the reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers are opting to start Russell Wilson for Week 7.
The Steelers got off to a hot start with Justin Fields leading the way, tallying a 4-2 win loss record entering their showdown with the New York Jets. The expectations were that he'd continue to be Pittsburgh's QB1 even after Wilson's return from a calf injury.
While head coach Mike Tomlin has remained mum about the Steelers' quarterback plan, wide receiver George Pickens accidentally revealed that Wilson will be starting in Week 7, per FOX Sports.
Sure enough, considering how well Fields has played for the Steelers, it came as a surprise to many that Tomlin is giving Wilson the starting nod.
Pierce, for his part, believes there is a deeper reason behind the decision. Speaking on FOX Sports' Speak, the Boston Celtics icon shared his theory that the Steelers are looking at the big picture and considering the player who can lead them to the Super Bowl.
"He's looking at his team like, 'Uh oh, hold on. We 4-2, we got a defense that can win a championship. You know what? I'm looking at big picture now,'" Pierce said of his theory on Tomlin's thinking.
"'Can I win a championship with Justin Fields at the quarterback? Hmmm, big picture, I'm not too sure. But I probably can with Russell Wilson.'"
Paul Pierce then went on to highlight Russell Wilson's experience of getting to the Super Bowl and actually winning it. The 35-year-old quarterback won Super Bowl won Super Bowl XLVIII during his run with the Seattle Seahawks.
To Pierce's point, it certainly makes sense for the Steelers to start Wilson and see how he can lead the team instead of just giving up on him with Justin Fields playing well. At the end of the day, Mike Tomlin needs to put Pittsburgh in a position to win.
It will be interesting to see how the decision pans out. However, the QB battle between Wilson and Fields is definitely getting more interesting.
