The thought of using two quarterbacks to utilize each player’s unique skill set may seem like a great idea, but what are the potential downsides? The Pittsburgh Steelers appear ready to test that question out with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in 2024. Wilson currently has the inside track to be the starter, but Fields has some athletic talents that would be awfully hard to keep him on the bench all year. Wilson has even endorsed the idea of doing so with specialized packages for his backup.
Is that really what Wilson wants?
On the most recent episode of SPEAK on FS1 posted on YouTube, the hosts weighed in on whether they love or hate the idea of utilizing both quarterbacks, and Emmanuel Acho had strong reservations about the idea.
“I’ve never seen a quarterback, not that I can recall, listed as a quarterback – have specialized packages – and it stop at packages,” Acho said. “I’ve never seen a quarterback only have packages and that be it.”
He went on to speak about Colin Kaepernick and Jalen Hurts as two examples who flashed in limited packages before winning over the fan base and ramping up the pressure on the starter.
“The reason I hate it is because it tempts the Steelers. The most beloved player on any football team? Backup quarterback,” Acho said. “They’re loved because as soon as the starter sucks, ‘Man, if only the backup was in there.'”
The Steelers should be all too familiar with that dynamic from the last two seasons. First people were clamoring for Kenny Pickett when Mitch Trubisky entered 2022 as the starter. Then in 2023 a sharp plot twist occurred, and fans started booing Pickett at times and wanted to get Mason Rudolph involved.
The Pittsburgh crowds have not been shy about voicing their displeasure lately. It can become the topic of every press conference and serve as a distraction for the team overall.
To paint a picture of what this could look like during the season, imagine a scenario where Russell Wilson has the team at 2-2 after the first four games and he has played average or slightly below average. If Fields is used in packages, all it would take is one 45-yard touchdown run by him during that stretch, and the first sign of Wilson struggling could result in fan and media pressure on the situation.
As some counterexamples to the quarterbacks that Acho listed, there was Taysom Hill with Drew Brees. He made a ton of exciting plays in a “package quarterback” role and that never turned into a hostile dynamic. But that was involving a future Hall of Fame quarterback who had been with the organization for a long time. He earned his stripes. And maybe that is what saves Wilson in this situation with his potential HOF pedigree, but he has never played a game for Pittsburgh and doesn’t have that same advantage.
There was also Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson, but injury is what ultimately led to the change in that case. And there was the pairing of Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick, but Vick became the starter the following season and was part of the reason McNabb was traded. There are likely several other examples on both sides of the argument, but more often than not it can lead to issues.
So Wilson is saying the right things about being okay with some packages for Fields, but should he really want that?
The Steelers have every reason to want to figure out what they have in Fields. He is a decade younger than Wilson and thus has the chance of being a long-term solution. The team has very little commitment to either player, so it can afford to walk the line.
