The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an offseason unlike any other, completely turning over their quarterback room by signing Russell Wilson and trading for Justin Fields. The team also added an All-Pro off-ball linebacker in Patrick Queen, and it’s clear that the Steelers are serious about competing. On Get Up this morning, former Steelers safety and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark said Mike Tomlin’s excitement for this season is higher than Clark’s ever seen.
“I was down in Orlando, I was at the owner’s meetings, and the excitement that he has going into this season is unlike excitement I’ve ever seen for him. It feels like he was in the off-season heading into ’08,” Clark said.
Obviously, the 2008 season was a great one for the Steelers, who went on to win the Super Bowl, the only Super Bowl win of Tomlin’s tenure. The Steelers don’t yet look like the makings of a legitimate Super Bowl contender, with holes still at receiver, center, and cornerback but half the battle is having the mindset that you can win. Tomlin’s supposed excitement for this season, coupled with the moves that Pittsburgh has made to put themselves in position to possibly contend, certainly is good news.
Clark also has a lot of faith that Fields can emerge into a talented player in Pittsburgh due to the culture.
“It’s not gonna be that Russell Wilson is gonna have to motivate Justin Fields to be anything, it’s that Justin Fields is gonna understand what it means when you walk past those six Lombardi trophies, how he’s in a place with a guy like George Pickens on the outside, Najee Harris in the backfield, a tight end like Freiermuth, what he can be,” Clark said. “That he can truly unlock his potential.”
While Wilson is in “pole position” to start, there will be some sort of quarterback competition this offseason. I’d be surprised if Fields was Pittsburgh’s Week 1 starter, especially after being told he was coming to be the backup, but I’ve been surprised by a lot this offseason. Fields certainly has the athleticism and traits to turn into a really talented starting quarterback, but he just hasn’t been able to put it all together consistently enough in Chicago. With a better offensive line, better weapons and a coach who believes in him and has always been a fan of his, maybe Fields can finally unlock his potential and put it all together as he enters Year 4 of his NFL career.
The offseason is far from over, and the Steelers’ roster is incomplete. But there’s a lot to be excited about for the 2024 Steelers, including Mike Tomlin’s excitement over this team. They’ve upgraded at the most important position in the game at quarterback, and the Steelers could be primed to finally end their postseason win drought if they continue making the right moves this offseason.
