While the Pittsburgh Steelers have been the model of consistency in the NFL for what seems like forever, they haven’t always been so stable. The period of time after their dynasty of the 1970s and before Ben Roethlisberger was drafted was marred by inconsistency and turnover at the quarterback position. Now, with Roethlisberger long gone, there’s fear they’ve entered that realm again. The past few seasons have brought more change than usual in Pittsburgh, with the 2024 offseason bringing the most change. However, the Steelers seriously overhauling their quarterback room isn’t necessarily a bad thing, with one outlet believing it could create a major ripple effect during the season.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports recently ranked the top 10 offseason moves that could have a major impact on this upcoming season, and he listed the Steelers’ quarterback shuffle at No. 9. His reasoning is that, whether it’s Justin Fields or Russell Wilson who wins the starting job, the new starter will be better than all of the Steelers’ quarterbacks last year combined. He claims that the Steelers should be bound for the playoffs no matter who the starter is because they managed the same fate last year with much worse quality at the most important position in football.
Signing Wilson and trading for Fields were both moves that shocked Steelers fans everywhere, and the rest of the league may be feeling similarly if either player doesn’t totally bomb. The Steelers have proven they can make the playoffs with a negative asset at quarterback, so it’s fair to say they should reach beyond those heights with anything better than that.
Wilson may not be the same player that led the Seattle Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, but he should still prove as an upgrade for the Steelers. Even if he doesn’t, his worth as a mentor to Fields could be just as valuable. Success in the NFL is tied to the quarterback position, and it isn’t often that a team can truly compete without either a rising star or a firmly-established veteran in their prime. Wilson isn’t in his prime, but Fields could still be a rising star.
While it seems like Wilson will be given the first crack at the Steelers’ starting job, Fields intends to stay ready. It may feel like the Steelers are back in the 1980s and 1990s, having a revolving door at quarterback while great players at other positions are forced to contend with failure after failure, but the combination of Fields and Wilson could put a stop to the mediocrity. If they do, the Steelers could be fighting for a Super Bowl once again, or at the very least finally adding a playoff win to T.J. Watt’s resume.
