For most of their existence, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most consistent franchises in all major professional sports. The team has only had 16 head coaches in its 91-year history and just three (Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin) since 1969. Truly, they know when it’s right to hold your hand steady and stand pat.
However, they have never been short of having quarterbacks rotate through their system. Despite the long tenures of Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, a few Mark Malones, Bubby Bristers, and Neil O’Donnells have shuffled through the deck in Pittsburgh. Guys that were good enough to start but weren’t really elite in the pocket.
Still, the team kept winning by following their longtime blueprint for success: a power-running game mixed with an aggressive, attacking defense.
In 2024, however, the team has been dealt a different type of situation under center. Having acquired former Super Bowl Champion Russell Wilson for pennies on the dollar from the Denver Broncos, it appeared he was set to be the starter in the Steel City in 2024. Then, the team swung a trade for talented but unproven quarterback Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears. It’s left the Steelers holding one too many cards. Will they throw one of them away before the season starts? Or will they attempt to parlay this pair into a playoff push?
Is the Third Team a Charm for Russell Wilson?
Russell Wilson found the greatest success of his career with the Seattle Seahawks, leading the franchise to the only championship in their history at Super Bowl XLVIII. However, his time in the Charm City was marred by rumors that he was a bad teammate and a bit of a prima donna.
His time with the Denver Broncos was somewhat of a disaster despite him putting up better numbers than many acknowledge. He threw for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions before eventually being benched at the end of the season by coach Sean Payton. His time in the Mile High City may have exposed some of his flaws, but he’s ready to right those wrongs in Pittsburgh.
Day 1. Grateful for the Journey! ⚫️🟡🏆@Steelers pic.twitter.com/PqqntTQdDJ
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) May 21, 2024
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been quoted as saying Wilson is in the “pole position” to start in Week 1, but he talks as if he’s welcoming an open competition between the former Seattle superstar and the Bears castoff.
“Those guys have been really good in terms of their participation and engagement,” Tomlin stated recently, according to Jeremy Pike of Steelers Depot. “It’s been a fun process. It’s been a fun process to get to know them. And really, the way that you get to know someone professionally is by sharing experiences. And so the things that we’re doing out here are critical to the ‘get to know.'”
“They’re professionals. So I’m excited about that, but I’m not surprised by it. There’s an expectation there. Both guys have been franchise guys, if you will. They’ve gotten out of their cars in the morning and worn the responsibility of being that guy for a franchise. So there’s residual benefit from that, and I’m excited about us receiving it.”
Justin Fields Represents the Steelers’ Potential Future
Regardless of who takes the first snap when the Steelers open up the 2024 season against the Atlanta Falcons, it should be clear to Steel City sports fans that the Fields trade was a blueprint for the team’s future. At just 25 years of age, he’s a gifted athlete who has yet to reach his full potential.
At one time, the former 11th overall in the 2021 NFL draft was viewed as the future of the Chicago Bears’ franchise. But after a frustrating 2023 campaign where he seemingly regressed as a passer, the team decided to move on. And it was clear they saw no great value in Fields’ vast array of talents when they traded him for a sixth-round pick.
Justin Fields throwing passes in a Steelers uniform we are so back!
— PickensBurgh🫡 (@PickensBurgh) May 21, 2024
There’s a strong possibility that Fields could light it up in training camp and be the starter in his first season with the Steelers. But more than likely, the team is hoping for a playoff push from Russell Wilson for one year, while they develop the former Bears QB into their system for the long run.
The Steelers declined Fields’ fifth-year option, meaning he could legitimately sign elsewhere and be a non-factor in the team’s future. But the more likely ending to this entire story is for him to sign an extension to stay in Pittsburgh for the next few years and eventually take leadership of the offense in the long run.
So in 2024, that leaves Wilson as the stopgap starter… with Fields remaining the ace up the Steelers’ sleeve.
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Ryan K Boman is the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays about Embracing Life with Laughter & Love. His previous work has appeared at The Miami Herald, SB Nation, Bounding into Sports, and Yardbarker. Follow him on social media @RyanKBoman.
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