Things were looking pretty bleak for Russell Wilson when this season started. A calf injury limited him during training camp, and it ultimately led to him missing the first six games of the season. Justin Fields took advantage of that opportunity, and it seemed plausible that he would keep the starting job. That didn’t happen though, with Mike Tomlin naming Wilson the starter once he was healthy. Insider James Palmer recently shared that Tomlin was always committed to Wilson.
“I was talking to one of [Wilson’s] former teammates the other day who told me, ‘I still talk to Russ every single day. We text every single day,'” Palmer said recently on Steve Smith Sr.’s podcast. “He said, ‘You know what Russ needed? Russ needed a head coach that believed in him.’
“He said, ‘Sean Payton didn’t believe in him at all. You know what Mike Tomlin did? Mike Tomlin told him the entire time that Justin Fields was playing, this is still your team.'”
That is certainly an interesting revelation. No one’s ever said it out loud, but it did feel like Tomlin was always committed to Wilson as the starter. He did always frame it as a quarterback competition, although it seemed more like Wilson had to lose versus Fields needing to win.
It’s unclear who Palmer’s source is, but much of what they said isn’t wrong. Last year with the Denver Broncos, Wilson and Payton reportedly did not get along well. Rumors made it seem like the two of them could not co-exist.
Tomlin and Wilson seem to have the opposite relationship. The two of them have seemed close since the day Wilson signed with the Steelers. It isn’t shocking to hear that Tomlin continued to inspire confidence in Wilson while he was hurt.
It is an unfortunate situation for Fields though. He played well as the starter. Really, the Steelers probably would’ve been just fine with him in that role for the rest of the year. Tomlin did also state that the decision to go to Wilson was mostly made by him, which reinforces the idea that he felt committed to the veteran.
Through three games, it looks like Wilson’s former teammate was correct. After all that adversity to open the year, Wilson has done nothing but elevate the Steelers’ offense. With him in the starting lineup, they’ve average around 30 points per game. His deep ball has bailed them out on more than one occasion. It’s hard to say Tomlin made the wrong decision.
Maybe this situation can end with everyone winning though. Fields got the chance to start, showing that he has the potential to be a quality NFL starter. Wilson gets to show the world that he isn’t washed up. Tomlin and the Steelers get to see which quarterback fits their offense better. That calf injury might have been a blessing in disguise.
