Back in March, with two new quarterbacks who have both been NFL starters, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin used the phrase “pole position” to describe veteran Russell Wilson‘s status ahead of fellow newcomer Justin Fields.
Wilson’s experience in leading a team year-round gave him that offseason edge, Tomlin explained, while also making it clear that the 25-year-old Fields would be given “an opportunity to show his capabilities” at training camp and during the preseason.
Wilson, 35, missed much of the first week of training camp with a calf injury sustained pushing a sled in conditioning work, but even before he was back as a full participant Tuesday, Tomlin had made it clear “nothing has changed” in his pecking order.
Few NFL teams got less out of the quarterback position than the Steelers did last year — 13 total passing touchdowns in 17 games, with Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph all starting multiple games. Though Pittsburgh still went 10-7 and made the playoffs, all three quarterbacks are gone, with Pickett traded to the Eagles, Trubisky signing with the Bills and Rudolph with the Titans.
At a time when top passers are making $50 million a year and more, Pittsburgh’s quarterback reset is also unique, with very little resources invested in Wilson and Fields. The Broncos wanted to move on from Wilson enough that they are paying him $39 million not to play for them, freeing him to sign with any team for the league minimum of $1.21 million. Fields, a starter the past three years with the Bears, was displaced when Chicago took Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall draft pick. Fields’ trade market was cool enough that Pittsburgh acquired him for a conditional 2025 draft pick no higher than a fourth-rounder and is paying him only $1.62 million.
Is the Steelers’ quarterback of the future on this roster? The goal is to find that answer while continuing a remarkable run of 17 straight seasons under Tomlin without a losing record. If either quarterback leads the Steelers back to the playoffs, that would mean a substantial raise from his current salary, and it’s also possible that neither shows enough and Pittsburgh reevaluates the position again next spring.
Wilson has a huge edge in experience, not just with 188 career starts but nearly a full season worth of playoff games, including back-to-back Super Bowls in 2013-14 and one championship. Fields was just 10-28 as a starter in Chicago, though his abilty to run the ball (2,220 rushing yards in three years) adds an element that Wilson has shown less later in his career.
Pittsburgh’s offense as a whole should be better. The Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada at the start of a five-game midseason stretch during which they failed to score more than 18 points in any game and totaled just seven offensive touchdowns. Pittsburgh went 1-4 during the stretch to put their playoff status in jeopardy. Former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith now runs the offense, and he has a history of establishing a strong run game.
Wilson has rarely been sidelined with injuries. He didn’t miss a game in his first nine years in Seattle, and has missed only five due to injury in the past three years. But last week’s calf injury served as a reminder that Fields is right there, ready to step in for first-team reps and make his case for the starting role.
“He’s done a great job,” Wilson said of how Fields looked while he was sidelined. “He’s working his butt off every day, and we’re getting better as a team.”
The two quarterbacks have known each other since Fields came into the league, with Wilson calling himself a “mentor” and stressing that their relationship is an amicable one.
“I believe that when you give as much knowledge that I have or experienced or gone through, it comes back in return for you in the long run,” Wilson said. “We’re a team and we’re always trying to get better together. Every rep that he’s taking, I’m learning, and vice versa. Every rep that I’m taking, he’s learning. And all the other quarterbacks as well. Even when we’re not in there, and we’re just processing from the drill work, we’re always talking and communicating. So I think that’s a critical part to being successful as a team.”
Is there a QB battle between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields?
The oddsmakers still see Wilson as a heavy favorite to be the Week 1 starter: Sportsbetting.ag has Wilson’s odds at -1000, meaning a $100 bet for him to have the job would net just $10; Fields is a comparable long shot at +550, so the same bet would pay out $550. Keeping the job for the entirety of the season is another challenge Wilson learned well in Denver last year.
Tomlin has been careful not to dwell on any competition between his quarterbacks, even as the split of reps in practice in July is monitored on a daily basis.
“We’re not painting with a broad brush just yet or making too many judgments,” he said after seeing Fields in the opening practice of camp. “It was a good afternoon.”
That standing isn’t likely to change between now and the start of the regular season, but Fields can help himself with a strong preseason, and he’s more likely to get playing time than the expected starter as teams work to limit the chance of injury.
Can Justin Fields take Russell Wilson’s job as the Steelers’ starting QB?
Wilson’s experience as a leader helps him as much as his on-field skills, and general manager Omar Khan said last week that the team has already come to appreciate what he’s brought to the table.
“You knew what he was as a player. He’s a Super Bowl champion and has some great numbers,” Khan said. “But I didn’t know Russell as a person. We got to know him over the last few whatever months it’s been, and he’s a hard worker, great family guy, great person. I think you could ask his teammates what they think about him, he’s been a great teammate. And, you know, his work ethic is really, really unique. I mean, it’s special. He works at it and that’s great.”
Greg Auman is FOX Sports’ NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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