Based on how the Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin handled the quarterback situation Saturday against the Detroit Lions in the preseason finale at Ford Field, Russell Wilson is the starting quarterback, and there was never any question about that.
Wilson played just five snaps against the Lions before giving way to Justin Fields. While Tomlin wouldn’t state outright who the starting quarterback is for the Steelers after the game, adding that he would make the decision later this wee, it’s pretty clear based on actions who the starter is for Week 1 on the road in Atlanta on Sept. 8.
It’s Russell Wilson’s job.
Knowing that, former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky, who appeared on ESPN’s Get Up Monday morning, stated that the media was “bamboozled” by Tomlin and the Steelers thinking that there would be an actual QB competition.
“I would’ve started Justin Fields, but this was never a quarterback competition. We were bamboozled a little bit,” Orlovsky said, according to video via ESPN. “I have endless amounts of respect for Mike Tomlin. There was no way that this is a quarterback competition. Russell Wilson missed practice and only played in essentially one game, Greeny [Mike Greenberg]. I remember when both of the moves were made being on the show, and we said if this was really going to be an open quarterback competition, I expected Justin Fields to win that. This was never a quarterback competition. Russell played in preseason Week 2. He threw the ball twice against the [Lions].
“…But this was never a quarterback competition. If it was, Russell would’ve played much more in preseason Week 3 this past weekend. I would’ve started Justin Fields, and I would’ve tried to minimize the riding of the wave. That’s not the case in Pittsburgh.”
At least Orlovsky is now understanding that it was never a QB competition. It took awhile for he and many in the national media to finally see the light, but it was the reality.
Yes, Fields got a lot of work early in training camp due to Wilson’s calf injury suffered during a conditioning test. Yes, Fields improved each and every day and showed off his physical tools. But once Wilson was able to get back onto the field and wasn’t limited due to how Tomlin wanted to handle him, it was pretty clear that Wilson was the guy.
Many in the local media, those connected to the team, stated time and time again throughout the offseason and leading up to training camp that the QB situation in Pittsburgh wasn’t going to be a competition, regardless of how good Fields looked. Seemingly nobody in the national media wanted to buy it.
Then, that played out exactly as it was expected, and national analysts still didn’t want to understand it.
It might not be what they want the Steelers do to, and that’s understandable, considering the ceiling is relatively limited for Wilson at this point in his career compared to Fields. But the Steelers very clearly went after Wilson for a reason and believe he can be a stabilizing force offensively.
He’s going to get the shot to start out of the gates, but that doesn’t mean it’s his job and his alone the entire season. Tomlin will reassess when the time is right. Maybe that leads to Fields getting an opportunity.
But throughout the offseason, training camp and even the preseason, this was never a true QB competition, regardless of Tomlin stating publicly that it was a competition. He’s not the type of coach to state otherwise through the media. But his actions spoke louder than his words here.
