For yet another week, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin avoided naming a starter at the quarterback position, in large part because veteran Russell Wilson isn’t healthy just yet.
Wilson, who was named the starting quarterback coming out of training camp, injured his calf again just two days before the start of the regular season, opening the door for backup quarterback Justin Fields.
In the first three games with Wilson on the shelf, the Steelers are 3-0 with Fields piloting their offense. It seems like Fields is the starter moving forward, but Tomlin isn’t getting int the hypothetical game until Wilson is healthy.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who appeared on NFL Gameday Sunday, Wilson is very close to full health.
“My understanding is that time is coming. Russell Wilson’s nearing full health, as close to full health as he has been,” Rapoport said of Wilson, according to video via NFL Network. “In fact, if it was a playoff game, if it was the Super Bowl, he would for sure be playing.”
It’s understandable that the Steelers are playing this cautiously. They are winning games with Fields under center, which is affording Wilson all the time in the world to heal up and get back to as close to 100% as possible.
It’s an approach that the Steelers seemingly tried to take during training camp after Wilson’s injury, with Tomlin stating that he was purposely limiting Wilson’s on-field work to slow him down and make sure he was as healthy as he could be.
But that approach backfired as Wilson got hurt on the Thursday before the season-opener in Atlanta. Since he suffered the injury again, reports have come out that Wilson playing on the calf injury in the preseason against the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions, and even practicing on the calf might have made the injury worse. It has now delayed him in his recovery, in the process giving Fields the platform as the starting quarterback for the time being.
Fields has taken the opportunity and run with it, which could force the Steelers’ hand at the position.
But right now, before Week 4 in Indianapolis, it sounds like Wilson is getting closer and closer to full health, which will ultimately force a decision at the quarterback position from Tomlin.
