The dynamic between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson seemed to be a positive one throughout the offseason and preseason, or at least the two were saying all the right things. But with both quarterbacks being starters for most of their career, there was at least some question as to what that dynamic would look like in-season depending on who is starting and who is on the sideline.
According to Fields it has been nothing but a positive thing through the first three games of the season.
“Shoot, I mean, Russ has been great for me so far, and he’s been nothing but help. Like, I can ask him a question and he’s going to tell me what he thinks,” Fields said via Cameron Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast. “He’s just always cheering the guys on. Even his time being out, he’s a huge supporter, so it’s been great having him there for sure.”
Obviously Wilson would like to be starting and playing. His career is more or less on the line after two rough years with the Denver Broncos. He isn’t getting any younger, and he needs a bounce-back season to earn a few more years as a starter in the league. It would be easy for someone like him to grow increasingly frustrated as he sits out with a calf injury watching Fields go undefeated while the majority of the media calls for a permanent switch at starting quarterback.
It seems like everything you see and hear about Wilson is genuine, according to Heyward’s discussion with Fields.
“He’s had so much success. He’s seen so many defenses. He’s played so much ball to where I know if I can just pick up on how he prepares, how he goes throughout his week, what he does to recover and stuff like that,” Fields said. “In terms of him being in the room with me, I love it personally because there’s definitely a learning aspect and really just how he goes about it every day.”
When a great football coach like Bill Belichick mentions the Steelers having the perfect quarterback situation, these are the types of things he is talking about. Fields is able to accelerate his development working with a possible Hall of Fame quarterback and they always have Wilson to fall back on if Fields hits a wall and struggles.
Dating back to March when both were added to the team, many media figures speculated that Wilson wouldn’t take well to being on the bench. I suppose we haven’t fully seen that yet with his health ultimately holding him back, but it seems like there are no issues forming between the two. There is no fractured locker room, and no leadership power struggle.
Fields has a chance to lead the Steelers to a 4-0 start, which has only been done two times since 1979. If he accomplishes that, I can’t imagine them making the switch to Wilson. From the sound of it, that won’t be a problem behind the scenes for the Steelers.
