The Pittsburgh Steelers finally made official what we knew all along: quarterback Russell Wilson will be the team’s starter over Justin Fields to begin the 2024 campaign.
While the national media tried its hardest to find a quarterback controversy where there never really was one, the writing was always on the wall that Wilson would get the ball first.
After announcing the decision, head coach Mike Tomlin shared his thoughts on naming Wilson the starter.
“Russ’ resume is a unique one in terms of length and success,” Tomlin said, per Dale Lolley of Steelers.com. “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.”
“He’s got a legitimate deep ball, not only in terms of arm strength, but in terms of accuracy,” the Steelers head coach added on Wilson. “We’ve got some guys that are capable of getting down the field in a lot of ways. So, we’re excited about that.”
While Fields will start the season on the bench, Tomlin did make it clear that the team will absolutely consider using his skillset in a separate package.
“I’ll leave all of that on the table,” Tomlin said after admitting the team would use Fields’ skillset. “Speculate away.”
“His athleticism is freaky,” Tomlin added on Fields. “I’ve seen the highlights and things of that nature, but being an AFC coach, you don’t always get a chance to feel it or really pay attention to it. To see some of the things he’s capable of doing on the football field is really exciting.”
Wilson expressed his excitement to get the job and made it crystal clear that he’s thinking Super Bowl in 2024.
“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.”
“Whatever it takes to find another touchdown in there,” Wilson said. “It’s always a good thing… The goal is to help the Pittsburgh Steelers win a seventh (Lombardi) trophy. That’s the reality, and we got to do the work.”
