In Russ they trust for now.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have made the somewhat controversial decision that Russell Wilson will be under center as the team’s starting quarterback for Week 1 opening day, the organization announced on Wednesday.
“[Practices] are intense by design,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said, “because we’ve gotta know. I hate speculation. It’s a football-like environment. We try to make it as football-like as we can and I saw enough to be comfortable certainly.”
Wilson beat out 4th-year signal caller Justin Fields, who he has taken under his wing as a mentor. The Steelers acquired Fields in a March trade. Wilson will make his debut in Atlanta during the Steelers’ Week 1 game against Kirk Cousins and the Falcons. Fields, whom the Steelers acquired from the Chicago Bears and only had to give up a conditional sixth-round pick, will back Wilson up.
Embed from Getty ImagesFields played the overwhelming majority of the snaps, 56, in the preseason to Wilson’s 25. Fields was efficient, completing 19 of 27 passes for 199 yards, did not throw any touchdowns or interceptions and engineered one scoring drive, while Wilson completed 10 of 12 attempts for 73 passing yards, no touchdowns or interceptions and led a scoring drive. Fields averaged 8.3 air yards per attempt, while Wilson averaged 5.7.
Tomlin said he met with and had a conversation with both quarterbacks after Wednesday’s practice and informed them of what the plans were going forward, a decision he noted was “difficult” given the unique skillsets of both players.
Going back to right after the Steelers signed both quarterbacks to the roster, Tomlin said that Wilson had the “pole position” on the QB1 job, but he embraced the competition between Wilson and Fields. Although Tomlin said the two quarterbacks were in a competition for the job throughout the preseason, Wilson always appeared to have a significant leg up, including the third and final preseason game against the Detroit Lions, when he played just five snaps and led the first-team offense to a scoring drive before being lifted. The 35-year-old Wilson, was managing a strained calf for most of training camp.
After two tumultuous years with the Denver Broncos in the ‘Mile High City’, Wilson was released in March and later signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract to join the Steelers, one day after they acquired Fields.
Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a Super Bowl champion with the Seattle Seahawks, played 15 games with the Broncos under Sean Payton last season and threw for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
