The worst kept secret in Pittsburgh sports was made official on Wednesday when Head Coach Mike Tomlin named quarterback Russell Wilson the team’s first week starter against the Atlanta Falcons.
Justin Fields will be the team’s backup.
Tomlin said that the decision to start Wilson over Fields wasn't easy.
"It was a difficult decision but not difficult in a negative way, to be quite honest with you, it was difficult in a positive way," said Tomlin
While every local Steelers reporter believed it was going to be Wilson, some in the national media believed there was a real QB competition.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said earlier this week that he felt “bamboozled.”
“This was never a QB competition,” said Orlovsky. “We were bamboozled a little bit.”
Many in the national media also believe that Wilson is washed at 35-years-old, pointing to two disappointing seasons with the Broncos.
But, in 30 starts for the Broncos, Wilson won 11 games, not entirely all on him, there was a lot going on with Denver and the coaching staff, but he is the QB.
2022 was a struggle, four wins, only 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a career-low 84.4 quarterback rating. NFL.com ranked Wilson 30th among QBs that year-behind Mac Jones, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton and Kenny Pickett, who was 25th by comparison.
Last season though, Wilson threw 26 touchdowns to only eight interceptions with a 66.4 completion percentage, third best of his career.
The quarterback rating shot up to 98, which was SEVENTH in the league. The adjusted completion percentage, as to not punish him for dropped passes, was second only to Patrick Mahomes in the entire league.