Since the second he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Russell Wilson has had no shortage of doubters. Two down seasons with the Denver Broncos really hurt his stock. However, Wilson has totally flipped the script with the Steelers. Last week might’ve been the final piece of evidence to disprove the notion that he can’t be a starting quarterback anymore. Even former NFL quarterback Cam Newton, who has been one of Wilson’s biggest detractors, is finding it hard to criticize him.
“The thing about Russell Wilson is there’s no denying he still has good football in him,” Newton said Friday on his 4th and 1 podcast. “I’m a believer of that.
“I can’t say that I always was a believer in the start of the year, but you don’t just throw for 400 yards and that’s a fluke. That’s not a fluke, no matter who you’re playing against. If you’re playing against anybody in the NFL, throwing for 400 yards is a big deal.”
Newton has previously said that he didn’t believe Wilson was the reason the Steelers were winning games. However, it’s tough to argue for that point after Wilson threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers haven’t had an offensive day like that in years.
It’s nice that Newton is willing to admit he was wrong. There are still other analysts who are less confident in Wilson. Justin Fields played well as the starter, but Wilson has been far and away the better player. His deep ball has given the offense an explosive element that the Steelers desperately needed.
Wilson hasn’t been a one-trick pony either. He’s still shown some mobility, and his veteran wisdom has been much appreciated. He hasn’t been perfect, but Wilson has elevated the Steelers’ offense to heights not seen since Ben Roethlisberger was their quarterback.
Despite all of that praise, Newton still hasn’t completely bought into Wilson and the Steelers.
“When I’m seeing the play of the Pittsburgh Steelers, primarily Russell Wilson, there’s still certain things that are in question,” he said. “Are they validated wins? The skill is there. We still know Russell Wilson can play.”
That’s a fair critique from Newton, but not something the Steelers can really control. Yes, Wilson hasn’t faced some of the best competition in the league. However, he’s still helped the Steelers win those games. They beat the Baltimore Ravens when they looked like a Super Bowl contender. The Washington Commanders looked like a juggernaut before they ran into the Steelers.
People even believed the New York Jets would beat the Steelers. The bottom line is that Wilson and the Steelers have handled their business. All they can do is beat the teams in front of them, and for the most part, they’ve done that. They’ve been excellent against teams with a winning record.
There’s no denying Wilson has proven that he still deserves to be a starter in this league. Newton has recognized that. The next step will be for the Steelers to ride this momentum and finish the season strong. They’re going to face some premier teams, and maybe if they win those games, they’ll be able to answer some of those questions Newton still has.
