The Pittsburgh Steelers have had quite an eventful offseason. Typically, Pittsburgh is patient with their quarterbacks, and many believed Kenny Pickett would have several seasons to prove himself. However, the Steelers surprised everyone by signing nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson to a one-year deal at the veteran minimum. This decision upset Pickett, who felt entitled to the starting job, leading him to request a trade, and the Steelers sent him out of town.
Now, Wilson joins the Steelers eager to make the football world forget about his last two seasons with the Denver Broncos. Wilson was traded to the Broncos after a remarkable career with the Seattle Seahawks, including a Super Bowl victory. He signed a five-year, $242 million deal with Denver, but struggled in his first season. Despite improved performance in 2023, the Broncos still couldn't win games, and Wilson only secured 11 victories in two seasons.
Fed up with Wilson, the Broncos decided to pay a significant amount to offload him. The Steelers seized the opportunity to sign Wilson at the veteran minimum, exciting both fans and the team.
Steelers star Cam Heyward discussed this development on the Up & Adams show with Kay Adams. During the interview, Heyward shared the harsh reality he presented to Wilson when discussing the future with the Steelers.
“We had met at Pro Bowls before and just been around each other at different functions. I was out at a conference in Arizona and I came back to my room and me and Russ just talked for about two hours. We talked ball and I knew he was having conversations with the Steelers.”
Heyward was familiar with Wilson, but when he learned that Wilson was seriously considering the Steelers, he made sure Wilson was prepared for what to expect if he decided to join Pittsburgh.
“The main thing I just told him was that this is not the place for glitz and glamor. It’s not LA and it’s not Atlanta. This is a place where the gladiators come and compete every day. Just hearing from him, he was receptive to that.”
Heyward was thrilled with how Wilson responded to his sentiments about playing for Pittsburgh.
