It may still be two weeks before the Pittsburgh Steelers offer clarity for their 2025 quarterback, but one analyst will be floored if Russell Wilson attempts to pick up where he left off. ESPN’s Kimberly Martin didn’t mince words when asked on Wednesday’s Get Up for her reaction if Wilson re-signed with the Steelers.
“I would be very shocked,” Martin told the show’s panel. “You know why? I think we saw the full scope of what Russell Wilson can offer you at this point. I’m not sure if the Steelers want to run that back. I think the Steelers need to be really clear about what direction they’re going in and I don’t see Russell as part of that plan. So I would be shocked.”
Martin is hardly the first to believe Wilson won’t return to Pittsburgh. It remains the prevailing opinion locally and nationally though her colleague Adam Schefter has left a greater chance for Wilson to return than most.
Wilson himself has continued to advocate for remaining a Steeler, undoubtedly wanting to avoid playing for his third team in three years. If not Pittsburgh, his other options might be thin. The New York Giants make sense but they’re a three-win team in a competitive NFC East with Wilson unlikely to make them contenders. Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders are an obvious connection but insiders like Jay Glazer and Schefter have splashed cold water on the idea of a reunion.
The PPG’s Gerry Dulac reported earlier this week the Steelers are using these next few days to meet and make decisions on their 2025 roster. Most importantly at quarterback but other key pending free agents like RB Najee Harris and CB Donte Jackson. Next week’s NFL Combine marks the marquee time for league chatter, all 32 teams and every agent in the world in one location where organization direction becomes clearer and free agents can begin evaluating their market ahead of the legal tampering period 48 hours before the new league year.
The expectation remains Pittsburgh will re-sign one of its 2024 starting quarterbacks, Wilson or Justin Fields, but last year proved the Steelers can flip a room on its head instantly. They went from painting a picture of Kenny Pickett versus Mason Rudolph to bringing in three new quarterbacks, even though their intention was to keep Pickett until his trade request.
At the least, Pittsburgh will still be in the market for a backup quarterback behind Wilson or Fields. The Steelers have started multiple quarterbacks in each of the three seasons since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement; in fact, the last time Pittsburgh went an entire season starting just one QB was 2018.
