The biggest question for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason was who their starting quarterback was going to be. Russell Wilson seemed to have a firm hold on the job, but Justin Fields’ potential made it an interesting conversation. Nothing is official, but it seems like Wilson has won the battle. However, Mike Tomlin has made no official decision, and former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn is displeased with how the Steelers have handled this process.
Appearing on Colin Cowherd’s show The Herd on FS1, Quinn spoke about his feelings on Tomlin still not naming a starter.
“They knew who the starter is,” Quinn said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it this way. It bothers me. This is how you create problems within your own locker room. When you’re a coach, and you are not more defiant or more outspoken about who your leader is, then when you do face adversity early in the season, it leads to that same question being amongst the dudes in the locker room.”
Quinn played in the NFL from 2007 to 2014, playing for multiple teams, so he’s seen several different quarterback situations. His concerns are valid, but they aren’t really applicable to the Steelers. Tomlin has said that Fields and Wilson are in a quarterback battle, but he’s also made it clear that Wilson has been in the lead.
That honesty is why it always felt like this was Wilson’s job to lose. Unless he looked terrible, he had a leg up on Fields. Tomlin hasn’t created controversy over who the leader is. If anything, Wilson has gone above and beyond in his role as a leader by helping to mentor Fields. Even though Fields could have taken his job, Wilson didn’t shy away from trying to help him.
Wilson’s teammates have also been vocal about what a good leader he has been. The situation is just different than what Quinn thinks it is. Wilson will begin the season as the starting quarterback, but that doesn’t mean Fields will be glued to the bench. There will probably be packages designed for Fields, even though Wilson is the starter.
This is really the scenario that makes the most sense. It’s better for Fields and Wilson. If the offense struggles with Wilson at the helm, Tomlin more than likely won’t hesitate to hand the keys over to Fields. He’s gotten to handle a few different quarterback situations now, so Tomlin should have a better grasp on when to move on from a guy.
An official announcement will likely come soon on who the starting quarterback is, but it’s almost certainly going to be Wilson. The real question will be how long he can keep the job. With any luck, he’ll be good enough to get the Steelers into the playoffs. Then maybe Fields can be the starting quarterback for the future.
