Throughout the first six weeks of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had a tough decision to make. As Justin Fields continues to lead the team to wins, the argument for starting Russell Wilson gets harder and harder.
A calf injury forced Wilson to miss the first six games of the season. Fields is playing far from perfect in his absence, but he’s leading the Steelers to wins. Fields is efficient, and he’s limiting his mistakes well. For now, he’s doing enough to help the Steelers win.
Wilson is still the Steelers QB1, according to their depth chart. Still, Fields’ play is making that argument more difficult. As Fields keeps winning games, turning back to Wilson feels like a tougher decision. Former NFL fullback Marcel Reece understands how tough of a decision that is. When speaking with Jim Rome on ‘The Jim Rome Show’ on Wednesday, Reece discussed the potential consequences of the decision to bench Fields for Wilson.
“A young Justin Fields, who is having, what we would say is the most success he’s experienced in the NFL,” Reece said. “If you sit him, without him actually giving you a reason to sit him, then there may not be no coming back from that this season. So if you’re gonna insert a healthy Russell Wilson in there, you wanna make sure that Russell is absolutely ready to start this season and play throughout the remainder of this season.”
Reece touches on the potential thought process for head coach Mike Tomlin here. Many have criticized Tomlin for taking so long to name a full-time starter, but Reece gives Tomlin some slack here. Reece argues that because Fields hasn’t given Tomlin a reason to bench him yet, it could do some damage to Fields and the locker room to bench him right now. As Reece mentions, one possible reason is Wilson’s health. So, as Reece alludes to here, Tomlin could be waiting to ensure Wilson is 100 percent healthy before making that decision.
During this six-game stretch, Fields is playing well. He’s completing 66.3 percent of his passes. Fields has thrown for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception. He’s making a difference with his legs, as well. Fields has rushed for 231 yards and has picked up a whopping five rushing touchdowns in the process.
The Steelers play the New York Jets on Sunday. They have a stout defense, so if this is Wilson’s first start, it won’t be the easiest.
