More info is leaking out about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ pursuit of quarterback Russell Wilson and what went into the Super Bowl-winning quarterback’s decision to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Good Morning Football this morning, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero said that both Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive lineman Cameron Heyward were big advocates of the team signing Wilson. Pelissero also added that Wilson came to a decision after his agent failed to get a big-money option for the quarterback in 2025.
“Wilson had a roughly seven-hour meeting with the Steelers on Friday, everything went well through the course of that process, and then it came down to Wilson making up his mind of exactly what he wanted to do. Mike Tomlin, the head coach, was a big advocate throughout the course of the process, so was Cam Heyward, the Steelers veteran who is a fellow Walter Payton Man of The Year award winner [and] who was an advocate to bring in Wilson to compete with Kenny Pickett for the starting job.”
With the Denver Broncos still owing Wilson his entire salary, he reportedly will take the veteran minimum to sign with the Steelers. However, his agent was trying to get teams to commit to giving him a player option in 2025 to ensure future earnings beyond this season. After failing to find any takers, Wilson agreed to sign with the Steelers after he is officially released by the Broncos once the new league year begins.
“Wilson’s agent Mark Rodgers was calling around to other teams and trying to talk somebody into potentially also giving Russell Wilson a massive, unprecedented player option in 2025 that effectively would’ve guaranteed future money for Russell Wilson beyond this season. There were no takers, [and] at that point it was in Russell Wilson’s hands. Wilson had a long talk with Mike Tomlin late last night, they decided to move forward. Again, the plan here for the Steelers is for Russell Wilson and Kenny Pickett to compete for the starting job.”
If Wilson and his agent were looking to secure a “massive” player option for 2025, it really makes it hard to believe that Wilson is coming to Pittsburgh to compete. Playing on the veteran minimum reduces the team’s investment in him and makes it easier for Wilson to get benched, but I don’t think that we’re going to enter Week 1 with Pickett under center for the Steelers.
It’s also interesting to hear that Heyward was a big advocate for the team signing Wilson. I don’t think the Walter Payton Man of the Year brotherhood is the reason why, either. Heyward is in the twilight of his career and wants to win. Clearly, he thinks that Wilson is a guy who can help the Steelers win, potentially more than Pickett can. Heyward has played in one playoff win in his career, and that’s not enough for one of the most accomplished players in recent Steelers history. The hope is that Wilson can get the Steelers over the hump and get Heyward (and T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, for that matter) the success they deserve in Pittsburgh.
I’ll fully admit that I was wrong about a lot of things when it came to this offseason, including the idea that the team would entertain signing Wilson. Additionally, I didn’t think Wilson would sign for the minimum. Maybe I’ll bat 0-3, but I just don’t see Wilson coming in and having a true, open competition with Pickett.
I think the Steelers are signing Wilson because they think he gives them the best chance to win right now. That entails essentially giving up on Pickett after two seasons, but Pickett hasn’t shown enough to give the team faith as it enters a critical point with the franchise approaching a decade without a playoff win. Bringing in Wilson is an uncharacteristic move, but it’s one that the players and the staff were behind, and the hope is that he can finally lift the Steelers over the hump and help them experience some playoff success.
If he does, then maybe he’ll get a big-money deal for 2025 after all.
