This Was Always Russell Wilson’s Job
Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
OTAs, training camp, and the preseason are all opportunities for NFL hopefuls to leave an impression in hopes of cracking the 53-man roster. It’s also a time for established players to make a case that they, not the other guy, deserve the starting job. Coaches love these competitions, to see their starters have to stay hungry to fight off the upstart challengers. Iron sharpens iron is a cliche you hear ad nauseam throughout the offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are no exception, with a major position battle at the most high-profile position in sports. At least, theoretically. The duel between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields promised a fascinating bit of theatre, featuring two quarterbacks who are almost perfect foils for each other. Wilson’s Super Bowl experience and pocket-passing chops got to clash against Fields’ unlocked potential and dual-threat abilities.
The only issue was that the QB1 spot was never truly up for grabs.
Yes, Mike Tomlin repeatedly told us it was a competition. The beat writers surrounding UMPC Rooney Complex ran with that narrative. The national media dissected every detail of this so-called battle, from the mechanics of their throws to the finer points of their gum-chewing technique. All yinzers heard on the morning sports shows were debates over who would be the best fit within Arthur Smith’s offense, who had the most upside, who would be the most consistent player, or who would be the best long-term solution. All of it meant absolutely nothing.
The only Tomlin soundbite that ended up mattering in the aftermath of the Steelers acquiring Wilson and Fields was that Wilson was in the “pole position.” It’s a phrase that gives some wiggle room, but it (correctly) forecasted Wilson would be the starter unless something major changed.
Wilson not only stayed in pole position throughout the summer, but Tomlin never wavered for a second. While a Wilson injury gave Fields a chance to lead the starters, Wilson never took any reps with the second-string offense. We can be fair to Tomlin in noting that Fields’ preseason start wasn’t a full-throated case to supplant Wilson. The backup’s performance was a mixed bag, taking two sacks against the Houston Texans while fumbling two snaps. Still, Fields threw the ball with fluidity and on time. It wasn’t a horrible showing.
Yet as soon as Wilson was healthy enough to practice, Tomlin inserted the veteran back with the ones, then started Wilson in the next preseason game. While Fields also logged time in practice with the starters, Wilson always got the first reps. In the second preseason game, Wilson had a dreadful showing against the Buffalo Bills. His performance was marred by three sacks and a constant stream of checkdown passes, which was a major knock on him during his time with the Denver Broncos.
Then it happened. The Steelers told us everything we needed to know about the QB competition without saying a word. Fields played the entire second half with the third and fourth-string offense. If he was truly competing for the starting job, Pittsburgh wouldn’t have risked Fields getting injured while playing behind guys who would not be with the team in a matter of weeks. Nope, not a chance.
So for all the drama, storylines, and wild speculation, Pittsburgh knew all along who their starting quarterback was going to be. This was never an honest competition, and the second preseason tilt showed Tomlin’s hand to everyone who still believed there was a chance Fields could jump Wilson on the depth chart. No one actually believed that Wilson’s two passes against the Detroit Lions (only one of which went past the line of scrimmage) was enough to clinch the job, right? No. Wilson had it in the bag, his one series of reps on Saturday amounted to little more than a confidence-boosting drive.
Now that the supposed drama is over, it’s time to go play football. While we all like a good quarterback competition, Pittsburgh didn’t get one in training camp, and won’t unless Wilson and the Steelers struggle mightily. It wasn’t Wilson’s job to lose, just Wilson’s job. Now that the regular season has arrived, we’ll see whether his unquestioned status as QB1 was justified or not.
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