The Pittsburgh Steelers made two significant moves at quarterback during the 2024 offseason. They began by signing veteran Russell Wilson to a one-year deal, followed by a trade with the Chicago Bears to bring Justin Fields to the Steel City.
Debate swirled around which quarterback was best suited to lead the Steelers' offense. Wilson was named the starter, as Head Coach Mike Tomlin appears to believe he offers the best chance to win now. Fields was informed that, upon being traded for, he would need to learn from Wilson, potentially positioning him as the team's future leader.
Both quarterbacks are on one-year contracts, but after Fields' promising first four games, many fans began to rally for him to remain the starter. However, following a disappointing offensive performance on Sunday night, some are shifting their focus back to Wilson, who is currently sidelined with a calf injury. Steelers insider Gerry Dulac dropped significant news on Monday regarding Wilson's status.
"Wilson was cleared medically to return two weeks ago, but the Steelers have remained overly cautious because he was symptom-free when the injury flared up again Sept. 5 — three days before the game against the Falcons."
According to Dulac's report, Wilson could have returned to play two weeks ago. However, the Steelers are exercising caution regarding his comeback. At 35 years old, Wilson's lingering calf injury is a significant concern, and it reportedly flared up again during the preseason when he was showing no symptoms.
Pittsburgh's cautious approach is telling. It suggests they have some confidence in Fields as a temporary solution capable of winning games. More importantly, it indicates that the Steelers view Wilson as crucial for the latter half of the season. With AFC North play not starting until Week 11, the organization seems to believe it's more important for Wilson to be ready for those games rather than rushing him back into action now.
The quarterback situation is quite intriguing. Once an elite player in the league, Wilson struggled through two disappointing seasons with the Denver Broncos, ultimately being paid millions to leave their roster. The Steelers saw him as a valuable opportunity, believing that he could be the missing piece to their offensive issues.
The uncertainty surrounding Wilson’s current capabilities, especially following his injury, remains. He has been an excellent team leader while sidelined and is eager to make his regular season debut in Pittsburgh. There have been questions about whether Fields would retain the starting job once Wilson was healthy enough to play. So far, Fields has held onto the role, seemingly by design.
Steelers Still Seem To View Russell Wilson As Their Best Chance To Win Now
This new report suggests that the Steelers still see Wilson as their starter and prioritize his health in the safest way possible. With each passing day, Wilson seems to be recovering further. It will certainly be an intriguing storyline to watch as we wait to see when Pittsburgh decides to have Wilson take the field.
While Fields has shown flashes of excitement, it still feels like he’s operating with training wheels. Steeler Nation was hopeful that Arthur Smith would allow him to take more risks through the air.
He has taken some shots and connected on several impressive deep passes, but during the game against the Cowboys, star wide receiver George Pickens didn't run many routes, leading to a lack of chemistry between them. As a result, the offense managed only 17 points. This has left Steelers fans increasingly curious about how much Wilson could elevate the offense.
