The Pittsburgh Steelers were always going to have a tough decision to make at quarterback. Despite that, it still feels like they’re handling the situation poorly. Rather than announce that Russell Wilson will be the starter, Mike Tomlin has tried to play coy. Everybody and their mother knows Wilson is going to start, but Tomlin is still trying to play games. Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton believes Tomlin’s standing as one of the NFL’s best head coaches shouldn’t shield him from criticism over his handling of this situation.
“Does a person’s resumé eliminate them from questioning their performance or their decisions?” Newton asked recently on his podcast. “I’m saying hell no. We shouldn’t give bypasses because they’re a first-ballot Hall of Famer, nor we should give any, ‘Okay, let’s see how this works.’
“Everybody is up for questioning and analyzing. Coach Tomlin, I don’t agree with that [quarterback decision.] It creates division in the locker room.”
Tomlin is one of the most accomplished coaches in the NFL. In 17 years, he’s never had a losing season. He’s won a Super Bowl, and he’s managed to drag some teams to the postseason. However, Newton is correct that he shouldn’t be free from criticism.
The way he’s handled this quarterback situation has been messy. It was fair to say that Wilson was in “pole position” before training camp opened, and even after the preseason, he wasn’t wrong to name Wilson the starter. However, Justin Fields has led this team to a 4-2 record, and he hasn’t played poorly. He’s protected the football and run the offense as well as he could. Benching him now is a questionable decision.
It’s too early to say if it’s the wrong decision though. Until we see what Wilson actually looks like in the Steelers’ offense, it’s difficult to say Tomlin is wrong. That doesn’t mean the way he’s handled this situation shouldn’t be judged. Forcing everyone to dance around the topic isn’t helpful.
This weekend should clear up the controversy, though, if only slightly. Unless Wilson goes out and looks terrible, it’s likely he’ll get another shot at starting. This situation isn’t ideal for anyone, but if the Steelers win, then it’s tough to argue against it. Tomlin has made a lot of good decisions, but he hasn’t been perfect. This decision won’t just magically work out because of things he’s done in the past.
