While QB Russell Wilson is taking visits with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, a return to Pittsburgh is not out of the question, especially if the team can’t sign QB Aaron Rodgers. There was a reported rift between Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith toward the end of the season, and while on The Rich Eisen Show, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that if Wilson returns, he and Smith need to hammer out their issues. He added that players would be fine with Wilson returning, but Smith and potentially other members of the coaching staff could take issue with it.
“Russ is always trying to be a leader, that’s both offensively and defensively. And so I don’t think the players would have a huge problem with him being back,” Dulac said Thursday. “But there is no question that if that would happen, then Russell and Arthur Smith would have to be put in a room and sat down and told, ‘Look, whatever differences occurred here at the end of the season, you guys better hammer it out, because this is the way it is, and if you don’t, then there’s gonna be a problem.'”
“So I don’t know that the players would have an issue, maybe some of the coaches would have an issue. But I don’t know that it would be a problem internally in the locker room.”
Re-signing Russell Wilson has seemingly been option C for the Steelers this offseason. Re-signing Justin Fields was seemingly the priority, but when he decided to test the free agent market, Dulac said the Steelers turned their attention to Sam Darnold and Rodgers. Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and the Steelers are waiting on a decision from Rodgers on whether he’ll sign with them, the New York Giants or potentially the Minnesota Vikings.
The rift with the coaching staff could be a reason why Wilson hasn’t been a priority to re-sign. The Steelers also failed to win a playoff game last season, and they lost their last five games with Wilson starting at quarterback. The lack of success when things mattered could also play a part, but if members of the coaching staff aren’t too keen on Wilson returning, it makes sense why the Steelers are considering other options ahead of Wilson.
There’s a chance that Wilson could sign before Rodgers, and the idea of him coming back to Pittsburgh becomes moot. But if a reunion does happen, everyone involved in the organization would have to be on board, and that includes Smith. Obviously, if Wilson does re-sign with the Steelers, the two would work to hammer out their differences after what went wrong last season with Smith reportedly limiting Wilson’s ability to change plays at the line of scrimmage, and there likely wouldn’t be a full season of tension.
But it’s no doubt a factor in Pittsburgh’s pursuit of its 2025 starting quarterback, and if Russell Wilson returns, the rift with Smith will be a storyline to watch.
