Even though it seemed like there would be more answers today regarding who the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback would be for Sunday, the situation is anything but clear. Russell Wilson’s calf injury has thrown things off balance for not just the Steelers, but also their upcoming opponent. Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris doesn’t seem too bothered by this development though.
According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, Morris was asked Friday how he’s preparing for the Steelers’ quarterback situation.
“Russ is pretty resilient,” Morris said. “He’s been that way throughout his career. We’re ready however it goes.”
Wilson has been something of an iron man throughout his career. He came into the league in 2012, and he didn’t miss a game until 2021. Even since then, he hasn’t missed much time, only missing seven games throughout his whole career. All those missed starts have come over the past three years, so maybe there is a cause for concern there.
However, it wasn’t like Wilson was injured last year. He reportedly only missed games because he got benched due to contract-related issues with the Denver Broncos. Calf injuries tend to linger, as can be seen with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow last year. It seems to just be an unfortunate accident for Wilson.
Wilson is a warrior, so he’ll try to play on Sunday, but the decision will ultimately fall on Mike Tomlin. Tomlin has been cautious with this injury, and that isn’t likely to change. If this injury continues to get aggravated further, Wilson’s season could take a major hit.
It also might not be wise to send out an injured quarterback when the Steelers have Justin Fields backing up Wilson. The Steelers seemed impressed by Fields during the offseason, so maybe they’ll feel comfortable enough letting him start against the Falcons.
Whatever the case ends up being, it sounds like Morris will be prepared. He’s been a very successful defensive coordinator in the league, so it’s likely he’ll have his squad ready to play no matter what. The Falcons won’t be a pushover. Their defense has talent, and whoever ends up being the quarterback for the Steelers will need to stay on their toes. No punches will be pulled.
