When Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he said that several of the team’s veterans, especially DL Cameron Heyward, played a key part in recruiting him to the Steelers. So far, Heyward has been impressed by what he’s seen out of Wilson.
“I think his motivation is at an all-time high. Russ came in with the mindset to want to be the best he can,” Heyward said Wednesday during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show. “He’s picked all of our brains and just understanding what it is to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. But the thing I’ve loved the most is just how detailed he is throughout the day. When he steps into the building, there’s no shortage of doing the little things and doing the extra things. Whether it’s spending extra time with your receivers, going over film work, continue to just keep learning. It’s like he’s a student of the game.”
Heyward added that he thinks Wilson and Justin Fields are going to add a “good punch” to Pittsburgh’s quarterback room.
“Him and Justin are gonna provide a really good punch in our QB room,” he said.
While Wilson is a veteran, he’s joining a new team with a new offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith, and he has to be detailed and be a student to learn a new offense. Especially given that Wilson is going to be pushed by a much younger Fields, he needs to act like a veteran but also soak up all the new information and learn everything he can to prove he’s the best option at quarterback for the Steelers.
It sounds as if that’s been the case so far, with Wilson putting in extra work and becoming a leader at quarterback for the Steelers offense. He’s going to have a chance to excel under Arthur Smith this season, and while Pittsburgh’s receiving corps might not be the best, he has George Pickens and a strong run game that can be the foundation of the offense.
Putting himself in the best position to succeed by being a student of the game will put the Steelers in the best position to succeed. Hopefully, the work Wilson has put in throughout the offseason will translate into the regular season and the Steelers can win some games and finally find some success in the postseason.
