One week ago, Russell Wilson was named the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. Turns out, he might not make it to Week 1. Hindered by his second calf injury of the summer, Wilson’s status for this weekend’s game against the Atlanta Falcons is in serious doubt. For ESPN and former Steelers’ safety Ryan Clark, the good news is Mike Tomlin no longer needs to make a decision.
“This is what you want,” Clark said on NFL Live Friday. “If I’m Mike Tomlin, this is what I want. I don’t have to make a decision now. I don’t have to go, ‘Man, should I start Russ? Should I start [Justin] Fields?’ I just go, ‘You know what Russ, you’re injured, you haven’t had a lot of time.’ I’m telling you, I would want this.”
Entering camp, Tomlin framed the depth chart as a quarterback competition with Wilson in “pole position.” Fields benefitted from additional reps while Wilson missed most of camp with a calf injury but didn’t make up enough ground to take the job for Week 1. Before the team broke for a mini-vacation last Wednesday, Tomlin announced Wilson would start. He leaned on Wilson’s experience and leadership as the key factors in naming him Pittsburgh’s starter.
That was the plan until Thursday when Wilson reported a calf injury to the same leg. While this seems as minor as the first one, Pittsburgh doesn’t have the luxury of time to allow him to heal. Without wanting to hinder the offense or risk further injury with Wilson, the team could opt to go with Fields.
What Ryan Clark misses is that a decision was already made. Tomlin named Wilson the starter, an obvious choice to anyone who follows the team closely. What this injury does is create another decision past Week 1. When does Wilson get his job back? Does Wilson get his job back? If Fields flatlines against the Falcons, it’ll be an easy choice to make, and Wilson will start when healthy. But if Fields plays well and the team wins, Tomlin will have to decide between benching him and the heat that comes with it. Or reverse the “can’t lose a starting job to injury” philosophy he’s espoused before though Mason Rudolph usurped Kenny Pickett last season.
Tomlin will also have to decide when to declare Wilson healthy enough to play. Given the lingering nature of soft-tissue injuries, Tomlin could buy time with that excuse should Fields start the season strong.
