It was an expected decision by the Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin, who named veteran Russell Wilson as the starting quarterback on Wednesday, but it wasn’t an easy one.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday following practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, Tomlin stated that it was “a difficult decision” but one that was tough in a good way because of what both quarterbacks bring to the table on and off the field.
“It was a difficult decision, but not difficult in a negative way,” Tomlin said to reporters, according to video via The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. “To be quite honest with you, it was difficult in a positive way. The decision was difficult because of what they’re capable of doing. The decision was difficult because of the way they’ve conducted themselves…”
Based on the way Tomlin and the Steelers handled the quarterback situation in the final preseason game against the Detroit Lions, one in which Wilson played just five snaps, it didn’t appear to be much of a decision at all.
There really wasn’t a competition throughout the offseason like many will have you believe, at least from the national media perspective. This was always Wilson’s job, period.
You might not like to read that, but that’s the case. Yes, Fields got an opportunity to grab QB1 reps early in training camp with Wilson dealing with a calf injury, but he didn’t blow anyone away and didn’t exactly have a great preseason to try and force the Steelers’ hand.
Neither did Wilson, to be fair. He couldn’t do much of anything in the preseason matchup against the Buffalo Bills, going scoreless in five series while being under serious duress behind the porous offensive line. He did lead a scoring drive in Detroit, including completing a 32-yard pass to George Pickens, but that was about it.
Wilson entered the summer and training camp in the pole position, and Fields didn’t do anything to overtake him. Now, it’s Wilson’s job entering Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, as many expected it to be following Wilson signing on a one-year deal back in March.
He just has to take the starting job and run with it because if there are any signs of struggle, the noise calling for Fields will only grow louder and louder, making the actual decision even more difficult for Tomlin.
