“Nothing has changed,” said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin when asked for an update on the team’s QB1 battle. The last time Tomlin spoke publicly about this, he claimed veteran Russell Wilson was in “pole position” to be the starter in Pittsburgh.
Since Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement in 2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers passing offense has been dreadful. No team has thrown fewer touchdowns since, and the likes of Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph haven’t come close to replicating Roethlisberger’s production. After a failed experiment of replacing him with a late first-round pick, the Steelers are turning a new page this year.
Russell Wilson was cut by the Broncos earlier this offseason, but thanks to the guaranteed money in his contract, they’re still paying him nearly $40 million this season. Wilson reportedly had multiple suitors but chose to sign with the Steelers on a team-friendly, one-year deal at the league minimum ($1.21 million). Despite the ups and downs of his play in recent years, Wilson figures to be an upgrade in Pittsburgh.
Some believe and continue to push the idea that Justin Fields is worthy of being the starter instead. He’s sometimes impressed in his young career, but has been wildly inconsistent and struggles as a pocket passer. The upside is undoubtedly there for Fields, still just 25 years old, but Tomlin and the Steelers staff seem to view him as a project rather than a starter. The starting job in Pittsburgh belongs to Wilson until he proves otherwise.
