The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation went from one of the most boring, inefficient in the NFL to one of the most exciting, apparently overnight.
Last season, the organization watched Kenny Pickett, who led an 80-yard winning drive in the final minutes of a Jan. 1 road game against rival Baltimore like a veteran NFL quarterback, fade as the season progressed, and by New Year’s Eve, Mason Rudolph was starting under center.
Pickett’s ankle injury was the stated reason he didn’t play (Pickett declared himself healthy enough to play), but Rudolph had a better statistical game in his one start than Pickett had in his whole two-season career.
It became clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ previous first-round pick would not be the franchise quarterback the team had been looking for since Ben Rothlisberger’s retirement.
But in the end, the Steelers brass knew Pickett wasn’t going to be their franchise QB, and while it initially felt like they would keep him as a backup after signing Russell Wilson, Pickett was reportedly vocal about his frustration over the move to replace him and ended up getting traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
As soon as the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Wilson, who was released by the Denver Broncos and benched due to an injury clause despite producing respectable numbers in 2023, it was expected he would be the black and gold’s starting quarterback in 2024.
Last season, the Broncos’ nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback and Super Bowl champion threw for 3,060 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He demonstrated that he still possesses dual-threat talent, rushing for 341 yards and three touchdowns.
After starting 1-5 last season, Wilson helped lead the Broncos to wins in six of their next eight games, including triumphs against four playoff opponents (Chiefs, Packers, Bills, and Browns).
Despite owing him a large sum of guaranteed dead money, Denver released Wilson on March 13 and, after evaluating many suitors, he signed with Pittsburgh.
Justin Fields says he isn’t planning to “sit all year” in 2024 and is competing to be the Pittsburgh Steelers starter.
Shortly later, the Steelers made a shocking trade for former Bears quarterback Justin Fields, resulting in an intriguing dynamic in Pittsburgh.
Fields was relocated after the Bears acquired the No. 1 overall pick in a deal with the Carolina Panthers last summer. Fields began his third season slowly but improved as the season progressed, helping the Bears go 4-2 down the stretch. He finished the season with 2,562 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, as well as 657 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 13 games.
So, in the blink of an eye, the Pittsburgh Steelers went from seemingly lacking qualified starting quarterbacks to now having two. They spent almost no money and gave up very little to get both of them.
Since Fields was acquired, Mike Tomlin has made it plain that Wilson will be given the first opportunity to be the team’s starting quarterback in 2024.
“We’ve been very transparent about the pecking order, at least to start,” Tomlin told reporters at the NFL’s league meetings on Sunday. “I simply believe that provides clarity for all parties involved. Russell is a veteran, guy. He has a proven preparedness process in place. He’s been in this league for a long time. He can rally soldiers, including receivers, tight ends, and running backs. He’s simply had a lot of experience with what it takes to be the guy over the course of a year, and I believe it’s something that a younger player like Justin could benefit from.”
But Fields has other ambitions for his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.
On Tuesday, the former Bears quarterback was asked if he’s fighting for the starting quarterback job.
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