Once of the franchise's all-time greats, Jerome Bettis certainly knows what it takes for the Pittsburgh Steelers to be successful. As the Steelers start over in the quarterback room, Bettis is excited to see how the battle unfolded.
With Kenny Pickett falling out of favor – and eventually being dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles – Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson and landed Justin Fields in a trade from the Chicago Bears. While the veteran Wilson is expected to be the Week 1 QB1, Fields is still expecting to fight for the opportunity in training camp. It's a competition that Bettis thinks will breed excellence and only make the Steelers' offense stronger, via SiriusXM NFL Radio.
“You've got two veteran football players saying, ‘Hey, I'm going to be the guy,' and the other guy saying, ‘No, I'm going to be the guy.' It's going to create competition on a daily basis. The one thing the Steelers didn't have last year was high-level quarterback play. What you have done is ensured that regardless of who is in, it's high-level quarterback play. The other guy is chomping at the bit to get in.”
“You're going to get the best of both of these guys, they're going to give you 110 percent,” Bettis continued. “The team is going to benefit ultimately. Down the stretch we got a murderer's row of teams we got to play in our division. Having two quarterbacks is going to prove beneficial in the long run. This gives the team a good chance to make the playoffs and a really good chance to go further.”
While the Steelers made the playoffs in 2023, Bettis' proclamation of poor quarterback play is truthful. Pickett went 7-5 as a starter, but threw for only 2,070 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. Mitch Trubisky went 0-2 during his run as QB1, throwing for 632 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. Mason Rudolph flashed at times, going 3-0 while throwing for 719 yards and a perfect 3/0 TD/INT ratio. But now Rudolph is a member of the Tennessee Titans.
Reaffirming Bettis' point, now the Steelers have two quarterbacks they feel confident with under center. Only one can get the starting nod however. The Hall of Fame running noted that the 2024 season will make a one-year audition for both players. Come 2025 Pittsburgh must make a decision on how to proceed at QB.
But with a starting spot in the NFL, on a team that just made the playoffs, on the line – both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are going to bring their best from day one.
Russell Wilson, Justin Fields prepare for Steelers battle
Wilson has seen his infamous run with the Denver Broncos come to an end. After a falling out with the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson was dealt to Denver for three players boatload of draft picks. The Broncos didn't get a return on their investment, as Wilson went just 11-19 as the team's starter.
But there were signs of life during Wilson's second year in Denver. He improved his record from 4-11 to 7-8, throwing for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The TD passes were his highest since 2020, when he recorded a career-high 40. A nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, Wilson is still a respected passer in the NFL.
Fields is coming off of a stint as Bears QB1 after he was drafted in the first-round by the previous regime. He went 10-28 over his three years in Chicago, throwing for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. After the 2023 season, in which Fields went 5-8 while throwing for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions – the Bears decided to move on.
But Fields offers an athletic skillset not many other NFL quarterbacks can. The quarterback is a playmaker with his legs, running for 2,220 yards and 14 touchdowns during his brief career. His 2022 season stands out in particular, as Fields ran for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns.
While not as polished as Wilson, Fields is still young and could be developed by Pittsburgh. Both quarterbacks offer completely different games, making their battle even more intriguing.
No matter who comes out victorious, Jerome Bettis and all Steelers fans are expecting only the best from their QB. Making the playoffs is one thing, but it takes a talented quarterback to lead the Steelers or any team on a deep postseason run.
