Russell Wilson is fully healthy from the calf aggravation that’s kept him on the bench for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first five games of the season. But not everyone is convinced he’ll get his job back. Already expected to be the No. 2 behind Justin Fields for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Athletic’s Dianna Russini believes Wilson may be stuck in second place.
“It’s been made clear to me over the last few weeks that the locker room and coaching staff in Pittsburgh love Fields. So while the big question hovering over every game has been, Will Mike Tomlin make the switch to Russell Wilson now?, based on my read, the momentum Fields has built may make it impossible for a healthy Wilson to reclaim that spot at the top of the depth chart.”
Mike Tomlin cited Wilson’s rust and lack of recent playing time—he only saw full 11-on-11 reps this week—as the reason the team is sticking with Fields against the Raiders.
Who will start going forward has been one of the NFL’s most debated questions. As we wrote today, the media has nearly an even split between thinking or advocating for either player. Fields has looked like a different player in Pittsburgh than he did in Chicago. He has been more accurate and smarter with the football while still flashing the high-end traits that made him a first-round pick. To Russini’s point, it seems like OC Arthur Smith is a huge fan, gushing about Fields’ second-half play even in a Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
However, Wilson is the veteran and has not officially lost the job despite Fields and the Steelers’ play. He’s remained as QB1 on the team’s weekly depth chart, and Tomlin has made it clear he’s made no decision about his starter for the rest of the season, deferring to Wilson’s lack of health and readiness each week.
To be clear, Russini goes on to say Wilson isn’t “done” in Pittsburgh but that Fields has “real support” from those inside the building. But if it is “impossible” for Wilson to take back his starting spot, which is her main point, then he’ll be stuck as the backup for the rest of the season and enter 2025 a free agent looking for a new home. Or, he could ask for a trade and get playing time in 2024 to boost his market value and remind teams he’s a starting quarterback, avoiding getting typecast as the veteran/mentor backup.
Fields’ play against the Raiders could go a long way in Tomlin’s decision. After playing the health card for five weeks and the “rust” card for this most recent one, Tomlin’s out of excuses. Next week, he’s going to have to make a call.
