Few outside the Pittsburgh Steelers’ building expected Russell Wilson to have the impact he’s had on the 2024 team. When he signed in March, it seemed obvious he would start. How well he’d play was a separate discussion. After missing the first six weeks, many called for Justin Fields to remain the starter. Mike Tomlin bucked conventional wisdom and made the switch.
Now, Wilson has vaulted the offense to another level and made the Steelers Super Bowl contenders. With that, former NFL GM Jeff Diamond named him one of the most impactful signings of the offseason in an article for The 33rd Team.
“Wilson is experiencing a career renaissance. He has a 104.3 passer rating (sixth-ranked) with 10 TD passes and only three interceptions. He’s running less than in his earlier years but has one rushing TD to bring his career total to 30.”
Wilson is boosting this passing game to levels not seen since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. His 10 touchdowns are already the single-season most by a Steelers quarterback since 2022 and Pittsburgh has already thrown more total touchdowns than it did in either of the past two seasons. Wilson has a pair of three-touchdown performances and a 400-yard game to his credit this season, playing especially well in last Sunday’s shootout win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pittsburgh revamped its quarterback room this offseason, swapping out Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitch Trubisky for Fields, Wilson, and Kyle Allen. Low-risk and low-cost moves, Wilson is playing on the league minimum while the Broncos eat almost all of his owed salary. Diamond, GM of the Vikings in the mid-to-late 90s, knows that price tag will skyrocket should Pittsburgh re-sign him.
“His price tag to remain in Pittsburgh will rise significantly in 2025. He’s opening the eyes of other GMs and coaches around the league who may have an interest in a revived quarterback.”
It’s a good problem for Pittsburgh to have. Wilson’s market value will be debated. Some believe he’s worth a deal similar to Baker Mayfield of around $30 million per year. But the cost for starting quarterbacks has shot up and most deals are in the $40-million range. Locking down a quarterback for 2025 and beyond will be the Steelers’ No. 1 storyline come March. For now, they’ll hope Wilson can extend their season into February.
