Signed as a quarterback in April, undrafted rookie John Rhys Plumlee had done everything else but play his position inside a stadium. He returned kicks and punts, ran down the field on the punt team, picked up wide receiver snaps in camp, and did everything and anything the team asked of him.
In Saturday’s preseason finale, he got his chance to play quarterback. Russell Wilson couldn’t have been happier.
Speaking with reporters after the team’s preseason finale, Wilson praised the job all the Steelers’ quarterbacks did.
“I thought that our other guys did good, too. I thought Justin [Fields] did good. I thought Kyle [Allen] and, and JR,” Wilson said of Plumlee via the team’s YouTube channel. “It was good to see JR in there. He got a chance to get in the game, which was great. This guy’s doing kickoff returns, punt returns, doing all the different things, playing quarterback as well. So that was cool to see.”
Combined, the Steelers didn’t throw the ball much on a day where the Lions dominated time of possession and outsnapped Pittsburgh 74-43. But all four quarterbacks were effective, going a collective 11-of-15 for 137 yards. Plumlee entered the game last, his first reps playing quarterback in the team’s three preseason games. His quarterback debut came immediately after he returned a kickoff 38 yards, setting up his own great field position at the Steelers’ 44. He’s possibly the first quarterback post-merger to return a kickoff and play quarterback in consecutive snaps.
Once in the lineup, he finished the game going 3-of-4 for 32 yards. But even that solid stat line is deceiving, a 4th- and-2 conversion deep downfield to WR Quez Watkins wiped out by an ineligible man downfield penalty on OG Joey Fisher.
Following a Fisher false start on the re-do, Pittsburgh opted to punt. Detroit drained the clock and ended the game.
While the sample size is small, John Rhys Plumlee effectively managed the huddle well. He got players aligned in the right spot, once directing WR Jaray Jenkins where to go. He also got in and out of the huddle without issue playing on the road, though the fourth quarter of a preseason finale might be the quietest environment of a season. Plumlee wasn’t hesitant with the football, hitting Jenkins over the middle for 17 yards and putting a slant on the money to Watkins for 10.
Fields offered a similar sentiment as Wilson.
“It was awesome,” Fields told Steelers.com’s Missi Matthews postgame of Plumlee getting to play quarterback. “He’s one of the hardest workers, not only on the team, but in the room. The kick returning and then coming in our offense, doing his thing, slinging around a little bit. I was glad to see him do that today.”
Plumlee’s odds of making the 53-man roster are narrow. Veteran Kyle Allen will serve as the Steelers’ third quarterback, the team trusting his experience over Plumlee’s youth. But given how hard he’s worked and all that he’s capable of offering the team, Plumlee has a good shot to make the practice squad. There, he can help out on scout team however he needs to, including mimicking opposing mobile quarterbacks.
It will make Tuesday a difficult day when the Steelers and the rest of the NFL must trim their roster down to 53. But assuming he clears waivers, Plumlee should return to Pittsburgh, playing his part to help get the team ready for the Atlanta Falcons.
