The Pittsburgh Steelers have more than a few challenges on the 2024 schedule. Not only is the second half of the 2024 campaign one of the most brutal stretches the league has seen, but the team has two revenge games right off the bat. After Arthur Smith gets his chance against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, Russell Wilson goes up against the Denver Broncos. Considering the way that relationship ended, Pittsburgh's Week 2 matchup in Denver is one that Wilson will want to win.
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With one of the most difficult slates of games awaiting, the Steelers are hoping to get a quick, victorious start to the 2024 season. On the DraftKings Gojo And Golic Thursday, Mike Golic Sr. and Mike Golic Jr. discussed the 2024 NFL schedule. During the conversation, each Golic gave their opinion on which game was their most anticipated reunion. Golic Sr. had Wilson and the Broncos as his, envisioning a hostile atmosphere to bring out Wilson's hunger to win.
"Yeah, for me... Pittsburgh going to Denver. That's Russell Wilson going back to Denver, where that could not have worked out worse, right?... As I've always said, whether it's amicable or not, whenever you play a former team -- now, it's not like Russell had been there forever, but it was not good. So, he's probably gonna get boo'ed by the crowd there, and players wanna show the team, the coach, and management, 'You made a mistake.' So, with Russell Wilson, you're human, man. He is gonna want to show, "Listen, I'm still the guy.'"
After spending his first ten NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, including a Super Bowl XLVIII victory against the Broncos, Wilson was traded to Denver in a massive, costly deal. With the weight of a franchise on his shoulders and a disconnect between the quarterback and Sean Payton, the potentially bright future Wilson had with the Broncos ended swiftly. The Steelers will only be paying Wilson the NFL veteran minimum in 2024, as Denver ate most of the quarterback's salary.
Wilson has a great deal to prove in Pittsburgh after the debacle in Denver, which amounted to disappointment rather than success. However, the Steelers have a roster that can bring out the best in the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback. In Seattle, Wilson had a dominating defense and a reliable, bruising running game, and in Pittsburgh, he will again have both to support him. The Steelers don't need Wilson to put the team on his back; all he needs to do is avoid losing games.
With a new offense, a new quarterback room, an upgraded offensive line, and a defense eager to forget 2023, the Steelers have every reason to be hopeful ahead of 2024. The schedule is grueling and unforgiving, not to mention the ongoing battle within the AFC North. If the Steelers wanted to know how successful its roster moves have been, the 2024 season will certainly be ready to test every single aspect of the squad.
Steelers Need To Start Strong In 2024
While the second half of Pittsburgh's schedule is a ridiculous stretch that includes the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, the early part of the season offers a smoother path to victory. Considering how many new working parts the Steelers will be fielding in 2024, it is all the more important for the franchise to get off to a quick start. Mike Tomlin has almost made an art out of navigating his team through rocky beginnings, but this time, there is no room for error.
Wilson will enter Pittsburgh's 2024 training camp as the starter, but Justin Fields is going to be given every chance to compete. At the end of the day, it is going to come down to which quarterback gives the team the best chance to win, not who has played longer in the league.
Wilson is being handed an offensive roster bursting with potential and ready for a steady hand to steer, but he still has to take hold of it and show he is the best person for the job. Whoever is under center for the Steelers when those brutal late-season games arrive will have to be ready for everything the NFL's best can offer.
