The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in a holding pattern with their intended starting quarterback Russell Wilson since the Thursday prior to Week 1 due to an aggravation of his calf injury he suffered at the start of training camp. It appears that Wilson is now getting very close to being 100-percent healthy.
Mike Tomlin talked about Wilson’s status during his Tuesday press conference. While it appears the Steelers will be taking the same approach of practice participation being their guide, Tomlin used stronger language to describe his chances of suiting up as more than just the emergency quarterback Sunday night against the visiting Dallas Cowboys.
“Just met with our training staff and Russ and plotted out a course of his work today,” Tomlin said via video on the Steelers’ YouTube page. “He’ll have another strong workday today. We’ll see how he feels in the morning, and we’ll let that be our guide in terms of his participation. But it seems like he’s in a place where his participation is gonna pick up some in terms of a practice setting. A live pocket, if you will.
“We’ll comb through that day by day, evaluate his ability to move and function and protect himself, and obviously evaluate his level of productivity. And we’ll let that be our guide in terms of whether we get into serious consideration as we push forward towards game time this week.”
Tomlin went on to confirm that they are preparing, as they have for the first four weeks, for Justin Fields to start.
It remains a question whether Wilson will actually get the starting nod once he is healthy enough to return. Tomlin has repeatedly deflected any questions that have to do with who will be starting once Wilson is fully healthy. But Fields has led the Steelers to a 3-1 record, and he has been playing the best football of his career in the process. The narrative has flipped, and even the most fervent supporters of Wilson starting once he is healthy have begun to change their tune.
Tomlin even opened the door today for the first time for Fields to remain the starter even after Wilson is fully healthy but added, “We’re not there yet as I stand here today.”
Russell Wilson was named the starter just a week before the start of the season and was also voted a team captain around that time. The Steelers brought him in to be the starter, as evidenced by Kenny Pickett requesting a trade, which ultimately led to the 2022 first-round pick getting dealt to Philadelphia. Even with Wilson injured, I don’t think anybody could have predicted a 3-1 start with Fields playing as well as he has.
The burning question that everyone wants answered may have to wait another week.
