Though the Pittsburgh Steelers have a new quarterback in Russell Wilson, their Super Bowl odds haven’t budged. According to Draft King Sportsbook, the Steelers odds of winning Super Bowl 59 were +7500 prior to the news of Wilson’s pending signing and +7500 after it broke late Sunday night.
Though Pittsburgh will frame things as a battle between Wilson and Kenny Pickett, Wilson is the clear frontrunner. With money a non-issue and options to sign with other teams, including the New York Giants and possibly others like the Las Vegas Raiders, Wilson was going to the place that gave him the best chance to win and to start. But it’s not enough in the early minds of sportsbooks to move the needle on the Steelers’ Super Bowl odds despite Wilson owning a Super Bowl ring.
But Wilson, assuming he’s the starter, could give Pittsburgh increased odds of winning a playoff game. Something the Steelers are desperate to achieve. They haven’t won in the postseason since 2016, going into a seven-year drought. That’s a team record since the merger and one they must break. Even owner Art Rooney II’s frustration and angst amidst the streak was evident during his media meetings earlier in the offseason.
The Steelers are still competing in a tough AFC North, statistically the NFL’s best division last year with all four teams finishing above .500. The Cincinnati Bengals will get back a healthy Joe Burrow while the Cleveland Browns won’t be as battered at quarterback and everywhere else as they were throughout 2023. The AFC remains the king of quarterbacks with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud and others littering the landscape. In signing Wilson, the Steelers improved at quarterback but they’re still a far cry from the top names at the position within the division and the conference.
For Pittsburgh, winning the Super Bowl is always their ultimate goal. It’s a noble way to run the organization. But they have to prove they can win a playoff game first. And that’s why Wilson was signed.
