The Pittsburgh Steelers have been searching for their next franchise quarterback since the legendary Ben Roethlisberger retired after 18 remarkable seasons in the Steel City. They drafted Kenny Pickett and brought in Mitch Trubisky, hoping to secure their future at the position. Even before Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers drafted Mason Rudolph as a potential successor.
After two seasons with Pickett and Trubisky, the Steelers decided it was time to look outside the organization for help. They seized the opportunity to sign Russell Wilson to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. This decision upset Pickett, leading him to request a trade. The Steelers also let Rudolph walk in free agency.
The Steelers also traded for another quarterback, Justin Fields. As many expected, Wilson was named the starter. Roethlisberger later shared his thoughts on his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, expressing one key concern for Wilson heading into the 2024 season.
"So Fields is going to create those big like [plays] so you have some fans that are wanting Justin and want that kind of elusive, like let's run it. Then you got a guy who’s probably going to be the star and throw."
Fields is undoubtedly the more exciting option due to his dynamic rushing ability. Over his three seasons in the NFL, Fields has amassed 2,220 rushing yards and added 14 touchdowns on the ground.
At 35 years old, Wilson lacks the mobility that 25-year-old Fields brings to the table. Fields can evade pressure, break off big runs, and create explosive plays with his legs. Roethlisberger expressed concern that if Wilson struggles, the growing support for Fields could create a tense situation for the team.
"My concern is if Russ struggles, that Justin fan base is going to start to grow and they are going to be, it happened last year. Mitch Trubisky was the starter and soon as he starts doing bad, they are yelling for Kenny. Then Kenny struggled and they started to chant for Mitch. When you have two guys, it can get tricky."
Roethlisberger discussed a similar situation from the past, though he misstated the timeline. The competition between Trubisky and Pickett occurred during the 2022 season, not the 2023 season as Roethlisberger mentioned.
Despite the error, his point remains valid. Roethlisberger believes that Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is more than capable of managing the potentially uncomfortable situation of having two quarterbacks both viewed as starters.
"I know Coach T can handle it. It’s just going to be a unique situation as the season unfolds. Now, if Russ plays great and there’s never a time for that, then great, but every quarterback, every great player, I don’t care the greatest ones have games, have situations where it’s like man, that wasn’t good."
Steeler Nation believes this is the best quarterback situation Pittsburgh has had since the days of Roethlisberger. Wilson is slated to be the starter, but questions linger about how much he has left in the tank.
After joining the Denver Broncos via trade and signing a massive five-year, $242 million contract, many expected Wilson to lead the team back into Super Bowl contention. However, he managed just 11 wins in two seasons.
Steelers' Russell Wilson Confident He Can Thrive In Pittsburgh
Wilson believes his struggles in Denver came down to one bad year, and while he felt more like himself in 2023, the results didn’t translate into wins. Despite recording 26 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, he was benched after refusing to renegotiate his contract with the Broncos.
Wilson feels as if he was locked in during the 2023 season. He's still fully confident in his ability to be a great quarterback and help the Steelers win a seventh Super Bowl.
Wilson’s fall from elite quarterback to internet meme has been swift, but his 2023 stats would have been valuable to the Steelers' offense last season. This is why Steelers fans are hopeful that Wilson still has some prime football left in him. If he thrives, the fans will embrace him, but if he struggles, the calls for Fields will grow louder.
