Tell us how you really feel, Stephen A. Smith. Never one to hold back his thoughts or opinions, Smith unloaded on Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson during Thursday’s episode of First Take.
“I’m gonna say it on national television. Russell Wilson, you’re beginning to piss me off. Somebody gotta say it so I’m gonna say it…You stunk last year. You were paid $37.8 million to go away. The Denver Broncos is willing to eat nearly $38 million to get rid of you.
“And you’re sitting there fighting for a starting job with Justin Fields. You ain’t fighting for no start[ing] job with Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson or somebody. It’s Justin Fields you’re [fighting] for a job with, and he is sitting there with some smile on his face talking about, ‘Everybody just needs to relax.’ You ain’t Aaron Rodgers.”
And to offer full context, Smith was yelling into the camera the whole time. At least the text will save you from enduring that.
Smith’s response came after Wilson’s comments to the media earlier this week, downplaying the Steelers’ offensive concerns. Neither Wilson nor Fields have led a touchdown drive through two preseason games. Saturday’s showing against the Buffalo Bills was poor for both quarterbacks, Wilson leading five scoreless possessions with Fields-led drives only producing a field goal. Both missed reads and struggled to move the ball though a lack of an offensive line or running game did them little favor.
Wilson told reporters he held no concerns about the Steelers’ offense, believing their strong showings in practice would carry over to the game. Smith doesn’t seem so convinced.
“The only thing good that you brought to Denver was Ciara. That was it. And he just stop it,” he said. “All of this smiling and going off and getting along and all of this other stuff. I don’t want to hear that stuff from him.”
Really, Smith’s gripe is unclear. It seems he wants Wilson to yell and be angry based off one preseason game. That’s never been Wilson’s personality and not the reason why Pittsburgh brought him in. They were looking for a steady leader and strong hand when the waters got choppy, not someone ready to abandon ship at the first sign of trouble. There are fair critiques about Wilson’s personality, which can feel Mr. Mayor and corporately refined, but Wilson’s setting the tone for the offense. It’s one his teammates have followed, TE Pat Freiermuth even referencing Wilson’s comments while offering the same “progress, not panic” reply.
Clearly, Smith knows what to say and how to say it to gain headlines and for people like us to write about it. He even has to know he’s being over the top. But an impressive or at least encouraging sign from the offense in Saturday’s finale against the Detroit Lions would instill confidence and hope in the fan base, including people like Stephen A. Smith. And probably for the players, too, who would love to go into Atlanta riding high.
At least until the first three and out when the sky will be falling again, I’m sure.
