The Pittsburgh Steelers made significant moves in the 2024 offseason. When the team drafted quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, many fans expected the organization to commit to him long-term. Although Pickett had an average performance, many Steelers fans believed the team would stick with him until the situation became untenable.
However, Steelers General Manager Omar Khan had different plans. This offseason, Pittsburgh seized the opportunity to sign nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson on a one-year deal at the veteran minimum. The Steelers jumped at the chance, hoping Wilson would provide serious competition for Pickett in the quarterback room. Reports indicated that Pickett was unhappy with the move and requested a trade.
Adding to the shake-up, the Steelers traded for another quarterback, bringing Justin Fields to Pittsburgh. Wilson is expected to be the starter, with Fields given a chance to compete for the job. While some Steelers fans are excited about Wilson's arrival, others are concerned due to his struggles with the Denver Broncos. In his first year with the Broncos, Wilson threw for 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, winning just four games. The team then hired Sean Payton to help Wilson and improve their performance.
Under Payton, Wilson showed improvement, throwing 26 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions, leading the Broncos to a 7-8 record. However, debates have arisen about the relationship between Wilson and Payton. On The Stinkin Truth Podcast, Mark Schlereth shared insights about their dynamic, revealing that Payton had to work hard to adjust the offense to suit Wilson. This information came from the legendary quarterback Drew Brees who played with Payton for over a decade and a half.
"For all the people who are like, 'Well, Russell Wilson, he never adjusted his offense,’ let me tell you, I bumped into Drew Brees at the Super Bowl," Schlereth said. "He point-blank told me, 'I didn't recognize the offense that they [Denver Broncos] were running.’ Which tells you what? It was completely adjusted based upon what they thought Russell could do and what they knew he couldn't do. The idea that Payton didn't adjust is ludicrous. It's stupid."
The insight Schlereth shared about his conversation with Brees at the Super Bowl suggests that Payton had to adapt his coaching style due to Wilson's abilities. This isn't entirely a criticism of Wilson, as it could indicate Payton was trying to leverage some of Wilson's strengths. However, the phrasing leads pundits to believe that Payton wanted to run the offense his way but couldn't because of Wilson's limitations.
Brees spent his entire career with the New Orleans Saints under Payton. Over his 20-year career, he made 13 Pro Bowls, won one Super Bowl where he was named MVP, and was a two-time AP Offensive Player of the Year. He completed 67.7% of his passes for 80,358 yards, threw for 571 touchdowns and 243 interceptions, and had a career record of 172-114. Before joining Payton in New Orleans in 2006, Brees spent five seasons with the San Diego Chargers.
While it's possible Payton adjusted his offense for reasons beyond Wilson's abilities, Schlereth believes it was due to Wilson's limitations. During the 2023 season, Wilson and Payton clearly had some differences. Payton was so unimpressed with Wilson that they benched him towards the end of the season because he refused to rework his contract.
Steelers' Wilson Got Paid Several Million To Leave Denver
Payton was also willing to spend millions to get Wilson off his team. Wilson joined the Broncos in a trade and signed a five-year, $242 million deal. Many assumed he would make the Broncos contenders, but instead, Wilson struggled and became a meme. Despite this, Pittsburgh is excited to have Wilson.
After experiencing poor quarterback play in the 2023 season, they see Wilson as a significant upgrade. Wilson is eager to prove Payton and his critics wrong in the 2024 season. Pittsburgh fans have heard the reports about Wilson—both positive and negative. The 2024 season will be closely watched by pundits and fans as Wilson's performance unfolds.
