Colin Cowherd is bringing the heat to start the week. With Russell Wilson sidelined the first four days of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp due to a calf strain, Justin Fields has gotten the team’s first-team reps. Fields shining in moments, the buzz about who should be the team’s starting quarterback has kicked back up.
That’s where Cowherd comes in with the view that the locker room will support Fields over Wilson. The reason? Fields is a better fit for the Steelers’ culture.
“Pittsburgh’s workplace under Mike Tomlin is alpha,” Cowherd said on his The Herd show Monday. “Loud, drama, physical. We don’t think it as a brilliant schematic offensive Kansas City, Rams, San Francisco. No, no, no. They blow stuff up. They knock you over, they punch you in the mouth…That’s not Russell. Russell’s focused, an adult.”
In general terms, those may be fair assessments. The Steelers certainly are working back to an identity of “bully ball” by investing in the offensive line and hiring a run-minded coordinator like Arthur Smith. Wilson has been something of a celebrity, married to Ciara, making the occasional movie cameo, and having pursuits outside the game. But there’s nothing to suggest he can’t fit in with the Steelers. He’s shown leadership by organizing multiple offseason workouts with his new teammates and spending time with them off the field at Pirates and Penguins game.
Still, Cowherd thinks Fields fits better.
“Justin Fields is young, cooler, athletic. Eleven years younger, more athletic. And I think he’s gonna connect with a lot of young teammates for the Steelers.”
Even if Fields understands the inside jokes and will hop on College Football 25 with the guys, it doesn’t make him the best option as the Steelers’ starting quarterback. All players care about is having the best quarterback in the lineup and winning games. Wilson remains the team’s best option with steadier and more consistent play. The Steelers don’t need a buddy. They need a starting quarterback.
While Fields has wowed in moments, his up-and-down performances have carried over from Chicago to Pittsburgh. Wilson is the starter until he’s not, and that’ll be determined by the quality of his and the team’s performance, not their personality.
