In a city of bridges, Russell Wilson might’ve just burned a few. Last week, reporting from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette painted a picture of controlling coaching being to blame for the team’s five-game losing streak. Freedom taken away from Wilson to change the play at the line of scrimmage, leading to a rigid and too-structured offense that proved to be their downfall. Though those reports were countered by foll0w-up stories, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks Wilson’s attempt to spin the season rubbed the coaching staff the wrong way, saying as much in his MMQB column following Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“Wilson wasn’t an innocent bystander in all of that. His limitations in the dropback game, and throwing the ball over the middle of the field, could only be worked around for so long. And so some friction surfaced as the season circled the drain, and the collapse showed that, while the Steelers are consistently in the running, they aren’t all that close to the elite.
This week some pro-Wilson narratives surfaced, and my sense is that probably wouldn’t be very well received by the Steelers as they mull their future at the position.”
Wilson has downplayed multiple reports of “friction” between him and OC Arthur Smith. But the article, which was accused of coming from Wilson’s camp, suggested the issue was with Smith putting his thumb on the scale and limiting Wilson’s autonomy. Pittsburgh lost their final four regular season games and were bounced in the Wild Card round, held under 18 points in five-straight games for the first time since 1969.
Though it doesn’t seem the Steelers have made a final decision on which quarterback they’ll hitch their 2025 wagon to, this report won’t help improve the odds of Wilson returning. Especially if there was some level of friction with the coaching staff throughout the year. If they’re getting thrown under the bus, it’s hard to see the organization welcome him back with open arms. Still, Mike Tomlin controls the roster, and if he wants Wilson back, he’ll get his way.
Breer’s belief is that Wilson “probably” won’t return, the most prevailing wisdom throughout the offseason. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter offered a different slant, the most positive report of Wilson returning and noting Justin Fields will have a market and suitors in free agency.
The bottom line is that Pittsburgh will soon need answers. Especially if they’re attempting to court a receiver in a trade like the San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel, landing a big fish at wideout is going to require clarity at quarterback. Right now, the Steelers have little of it.
