The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator this off-season. First on the agenda was finding help at quarterback. Pittsburgh seemed to do so when they signed nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson after his rapid breakup with the Denver Broncos. While maybe not the player he was in Seattle, most felt it was still a considerable upgrade from what the Steelers had the previous few years. However, things turned interesting when they traded for Justin Fields a few weeks later.
Russell Wilson to Be Full Participant at Steelers Practice
The initial belief was Pittsburgh wanted more depth and some legitimate competition for Wilson. After all, he was well into his 30s and had shown signs of his skillset fading. This was reinforced when he missed the season’s first quarter with a persistent calf injury. However, there might be another explanation for why the Steelers have persisted with Fields for this long. Smith let that slip during a recent presser when, while praising the former Bears quarterback, he took a not-so-subtle shot at Wilson.
Arthur Smith clearly isn’t a fan of Wilson.
One of the prevailing criticisms of the potential Hall of Famer is how disingenuous he seems as a person. Everything about him seems like a carefully crafted image he wants to portray. None of it seems real or genuine. Fans and media have called it out for years, and some teammates in Seattle and Denver have alluded to it as well. Wilson even gave himself the nickname Mr. Unlimited. One can understand why people can tire of his schtick so quickly. Smith didn’t even try hiding that he’s not a fan.
Unfortunately for him, it appears the Steelers are preparing for a quarterback change. Wilson is practicing in full regularly now. His calf is healed. Fields has lost the last two games and hasn’t shown much upside as a passer. Even if Arthur Smith wants to maintain the status quo, it isn’t his call. Head coach Mike Tomlin is known for having a quick trigger finger at quarterback when things aren’t clicking. Seeing how that relationship unfolds in the coming weeks will be fascinating.
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