The Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting-quarterback competition ended up about where it began. Coach Mike Tomlin named former Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson the team’s starter, ahead of Justin Fields, to open the regular season.
Tomlin said that he met with both quarterbacks following the Steelers’ practice Wednesday to inform them of the decision.
“It was a difficult decision, but not difficult in a negative way, to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said at a news conference. “It was difficult in a positive way. The decision was difficult because of what they’re capable of doing. The decision was difficult because of how they’ve conducted themselves, as opposed to the things that they fall short in, in terms of capabilities or negative conduct.”
The Steelers open their season Sept. 8 in Atlanta against the Falcons.
“I just thought it was appropriate to do it at this time,” Tomlin said. “I think that doing it earlier than this time would have put a de-emphasis on the work that we were able to get done out here from a developmental standpoint. But I also think it’s the appropriate time because as we move into next week, we need to be singularly focused as a collective on the challenges of the week, which is obviously our opener in Atlanta and the division of labor and roles within it.”
The Steelers reached the playoffs last season with Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph each making starts at quarterback but overhauled the position entirely in the offseason. They signed Wilson to a minimum-salary contract after he was released by the Denver Broncos, then acquired Fields in a trade from the Chicago Bears, who used the No. 1 pick in April’s draft on quarterback Caleb Williams.
Wilson was plagued by a calf injury that he suffered at the outset of training camp. That gave Fields an opportunity to run the starting offense. But Tomlin, after saying in the offseason that Wilson would begin the competition in the “pole position” for the job, kept listing Wilson as the starter on the depth chart.
Wilson is trying to capitalize on his fresh start with the Steelers to resemble the quarterback who was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and reached two Super Bowls in 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, before spending two tempestuous seasons in Denver.
“I definitely feel rejuvenated,” Wilson said during the Steelers’ training camp in Latrobe, Pa. “But I also feel grateful. … That when I get to look back after it all and, you know, it’s all said and done, hopefully seven years from now … I’ll hopefully be able to say: ‘Man, we won this many Super Bowls and we did this. But we also went through some challenges and some ups and downs and peaks and valleys.’… There’s been some unbelievable peaks, and there’s been some valleys. But, you know, the valleys allow you to build amazing relationships.”
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