Mike Tomlin cited Russell Wilson’s experience with leading a team as part of the reason he held “pole position” in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ ceremonial quarterback competition. While they quite likely knew all along Wilson was their starter, there is good reason for that. He hasn’t had the chance to show too much on the field, but he has led this team since he signed, through widespread testimony.
That includes WR Calvin Austin III, who made clear that Russell Wilson commands the respect of his peers. “He’s very confident in himself, and he tries to instill confidence in others”, he told Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. “That’s probably the biggest thing. Because to begin, you have to have belief in yourself, and that’s the message that he pushes to everyone around him, and you can tell that it’s definitely sticking with everybody”.
Wilson’s resume doesn’t hurt in this regard. A 12-year NFL veteran, he has a shiny Super Bowl ring to flash around. As we talked about just recently, he will be moving up the record boooks this year assuming he plays sufficiently.
But he carries himself in such a way that makes his teammates believe he can lead them to the top. Having been there, Wilson insists he knows what the work looks like that gets you to that point. That is what the Steelers wanted when they signed him, and he has his teammates believing.
Of course, that only takes you so far without the on-field results. Thanks to a calf injury, we haven’t seen enough of Russell Wilson on the field to pass judgement. He watched from the sidelines or only minimally participated in the first weeks of camp.
As a result of that situation, the Steelers got a long look at Justin Fields and fanned the argumentative flames. It seemed to be a daily topic on the various sports shows: is Justin Fields taking Russell Wilson’s job?
It turns out, he wasn’t, or at least, he didn’t, because the Steelers named Wilson the starter. There is no reason to believe that he doesn’t have the genuine support of the locker room, despite the many who paint him as an artificial personality whom you can’t take seriously.
In theory, the quarterback is supposed to be a player who elevates everybody around him. Calvin Austin III seems to think that Russell Wilson does that for the Steelers, and one hopes he is right. Pittsburgh could certainly use somebody like that, especially after the past two years of quarterback play.
Of course, aside from Wilson needing to go out and play, there is the question of whether the Steelers have surrounded him with enough talent. Austin could open the season as a starter, which likely strikes few as ideal. He will have George Pickens to throw to, and others, but even then—can the offensive line protect him? The power of positive thinking won’t block Myles Garrett.
