Rewind to this time last year, and the Pittsburgh Steelers were just kicking off their three-game losing streak to start December with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals. That launched one of the noisiest news cycles for the Steelers in recent memory. The sky was falling, and it was all being blamed on the lack of leadership on offense.
In the post Ben Roethlisberger era, the foundation wasn’t set for a productive transition. When Roethlisberger entered the league, he had guys like Hines Ward, Alan Faneca, Jeff Hartings, and Jerome Bettis to help the offense from a leadership perspective. Kenny Pickett was thrown into the deep end as the captain with almost no veterans on the offense.
What a difference a veteran leader can make.
“Mike Tomlin needed Russell Wilson, and frankly, Russell Wilson needed Mike Tomlin, a head coach that isn’t looking over his shoulder in the meeting rooms,” Colin Cowherd said via FS1’s The Herd. “Tomlin and Russell Wilson are perfect. Russell is the adult in the room for an offense that’s desperately needed that for years.
“He’s focused, he’s driven, he’s aspirational, he’s grateful, he’s serious, he’s disciplined.”
Other than his rookie season as a third-round pick to backup veteran QB Matt Flynn for the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson has been a team captain in 12-straight seasons. I don’t know how every other team’s system works, but the captains are voted on in Pittsburgh. It wasn’t an anointing; he immediately stepped in and walked the walk as a leader.
He was praising guys in personal text messages after each practice, inviting big groups to come work out with him before training camp, and supporting Justin Fields while he was out injured without any complaint.
We haven’t really heard about any leadership issues this year on offense, and Wilson is a huge part of that.
It isn’t just him, however. Guys like Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth have stepped up. There is also a change in the coaching leadership with Arthur Smith taking a hands-on approach to his role and guys like Zach Azzanni providing the tough love that his young receiving group needs.
Now, all the young players on the Steelers get to learn from a guy like Wilson. By the time he goes to retire (if he’s extended), you might have a core of leaders like Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Broderick Jones, Pat Freiermuth, and Troy Fautanu to ensure there is a proper foundation in place for the eventual successor at quarterback.
