The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t have an explosive offensive showing in Week 2, but there were moments that made it seem like they can still turn the corner. Penalties wiped out a lot of their best offensive plays. Justin Fields did turn in another good performance, even if his stats look a little light. When Russell Wilson is healthy, it’s going to be extremely difficult for Mike Tomlin to name a starting quarterback. Former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman believes Wilson won’t take too kindly to an understudy role if the Steelers stick with Fields at quarterback.
“Russell Wilson’s in the twilight of his career. Do you really sit him on the bench to be a coach, and how does he respond to that?” Sherman said Monday during new episode of his podcast. “He’s always done things the right way and said the right things in the media, but I cannot imagine that he would feel good about that, personally, knowing that he made a decision to come to Pittsburgh to be the starter.”
Sherman and Wilson were teammates on the Seattle Seahawks from 2012-2017, winning the franchise’s only Super Bowl together. Therefore, Sherman has more personal experience with Wilson than most other analysts. Just because they were teammates doesn’t mean they were best friends, but Sherman got to see how Wilson carried himself in the locker room.
It’s also important to note that Sherman doesn’t totally bury Wilson here. He actually compliments Wilson, which is a stark contrast to how some media members have tried to portray Wilson among his teammates. He’s been the ultimate pro since getting to Pittsburgh too. Even through his injury, he’s still trying to help Fields and the offense.
That’s probably only going to make this decision harder though. If Fields starts in Week 3 and the Steelers win, Wilson could find himself stuck on the bench. For a guy who bet on himself and wanted to rebuild his reputation, that’s going to sting.
He’s going to be 36 years old in November, and he probably doesn’t have many years left in the NFL. After his time with the Denver Broncos, people are starting to question his resumé. He won the initial quarterback competition and showed good leadership with the Steelers. Nothing he did put him in this situation with Fields. Injuries happen, and it was just unfortunate timing.
Nothing is set in stone yet though. Even if Fields does keep the job, there’s no telling if he’ll hold onto it for the entire season. He could suffer an injury too; in which case, Wilson could answer the call and step up. It’s a long season, and anything could happen. Right now, it’s a fluid situation that could change every week. Wilson’s been a pro though, and hopefully this isn’t the final chapter of his story.
