At this point in the NFL offseason, it seems as if every NFL commentator has picked a side in the never-ending Russell Wilson or Justin Fields debate. The hierarchy of these two polarizing quarterbacks has generated lots of speculation, even though most signs have pointed to Russell Wilson being the starter and Fields his backup. Mike Florio is one of many analysts who think that Wilson’s tenure as starter won’t last very long.
Florio, the creator of ProFootballTalk.com, joined the “Pardon My Take” podcast on Monday, where he discussed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation.
“One of these guys is getting the starting job in 2025, and one of them is getting fired,” Florio said. “Once Steelers fans start seeing what Justin Fields can do on the ground, and if he’s running circles around guys playing second string in the preseason, they’re going to fall in love with him. Russ had better get it done because if he struggles at all, the Steelers fans are going to be chanting for Justin Fields.”
It’s more than likely that at some point in the 2024 season, Steelers fans will once again return to this debate that’s framed their offseason. Russell Wilson is the veteran with the proven track record, so the team will give him the benefit of the doubt over Justin Fields early in the season. However, as this fan base and organization has shown in recent years, the leash is a lot shorter than it once was.
Kenny Pickett – the homegrown 2022 first-round pick – was traded after less than two full seasons as a starter. If the Steelers were willing to move on from a costly first-round pick so soon, nobody should be surprised to see a midseason quarterback change at some point in 2024.
Florio mentioned the fans falling in love with Fields’ rushing ability as a major reason they would desire a change. Fields ran for 657 yards in 13 games in 2023, and in 2022, he led all quarterbacks on the ground with an astonishing 1,143 rushing yards. On the other hand, Wilson is not the runner that he was in Seattle. He’s 35 years old, and he lacks the burst that led to several seasons of 849, 586, and 553 yards rushing that he had with the Seahawks.
Additionally, he’s taken more sacks than any other NFL quarterback over the past two seasons. If Wilson struggles to find a rhythm in Arthur Smith’s new offense, combined with the lack of explosiveness that he possessed when he was younger, it’s hard to imagine fans won’t want the Steelers to shake things up by giving Fields an opportunity. Fields can break games open with his legs, and the fans will get a taste of this in the preseason against backup defenses.
Whatever happens with the quarterback room, Florio believes the Steelers are the team that will surprise people the most this season, exceeding expectations.
“Tomlin’s superpower is to take a room full of guys that you would individually look at and say ‘Okay’ and slap them all together and make a playoff team,” Florio said.
It won’t be easy for Tomlin and the Steelers to reach the playoffs next season, especially considering the scheduling gauntlet they’ll face in the second half of the season. But if any coach can pull off a miracle, it’s Tomlin. He’ll figure out the situation with Wilson and Fields, and this team will once again make a late push as it hunts for its first playoff win since 2016.
