The battle to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers at quarterback has been decided: Russell Wilson will take the reigns.
According to NFL.com, Wilson, who signed with the team after playing the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos, emerged victorious against the competition, former Chicago Bears starter Justin Fields. Head coach Mike Tomlin said he spoke to both players and informed them of the “difficult decision”
Tomlin previously said Wilson had the advantage going into the preseason but a calf injury to Wilson allowed Fields to make a case for starting.
The Steelers officially start their season in Atlanta against the Falcons on September 8.
When Tomlin made the announcement after the team practiced at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, he acknowledged the professionalism both players displayed when telling them.
“Russ’ resume is a unique one in terms of length and success,” Tomlin told reporters. “That tends to play a factor in
the decision-making, but not from a decision-making perspective. It’s just the fruits of his labor. He’s seen and done a lot, and I think that was displayed in the way he played and conducted himself.”“I’m super excited to be here, obviously,” Wilson said. “I came here to help us win. That’s the focus. And I think the best part is how hard we’ve all worked every day from all the way from OTAs to Latrobe. And obviously, we’ve got a great season ahead of us, and we’re excited about it.”
This is Wilson’s third team after being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012. He was with the team for 10 seasons and helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2014. The Seahawks traded him to the Denver Broncos in September 2022. The team inked him to a five-year, $245 million contract and will be paying Wilson $85 million over the next two seasons.
Wilson had an 11-19 record in 30 starts for the Broncos, completing 63.3% of his throws for 6,594 yards and had 42 touchdowns with 19 interceptions. He is the only player in NFL history with at least 40,000 passing yards and 5,000 rushing yards. Wilson has thrown for 43,653 yards and 334 touchdowns with 106 interceptions in his 12-year career.