Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has made it abundantly clear he doesn't feel any pressure to change the starting quarterback. He proclaimed that Russell Wilson had "pole position" almost as soon as the team signed him. However, Wilson's calf injury has disrupted that plan, setting him back and Justin Fields has stepped up, stepped in and taken full advantage.
Steelers' Russell Wilson walks down to practice at St. Vincent College in 2024.
Fields and the Steelers now sit at 3-0 and lead the AFC North by a whopping two games. Of course, it is early in the season, and there seems little doubt that at least the Baltimore Ravens will bounce back, but even still most analysts had counted Pittsburgh out entirely during the 2024 offseason.
Headed into the Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, all indicators point to Fields being the starter. During his weekly press conference, Tomlin discussed injuries and said that they are still taking Wilson day by day. Tomlin was asked why he won't just name Fields the starting quarterback; after all, it appears clear that's what he is. At this point, even if Wilson recovers, how do you bench someone who is winning games? Tomlin proved last season with Mason Rudolph that he is willing to go with the hot hand over the name on paper.
Most analysts believe Tomlin is in a fantastic position with the two quarterbacks. If Fields ends up stumbling, then he can play Wilson, because he is the official starter after all. That way, he isn't benching his new starting quarterback. However, NFL on NBC analyst Mike Florio has a different perception of the situation, saying there is no reason to play Wilson yet.
"Until the Steelers lose, there's no argument to be made because you keep rolling the dice, the dice are hot," said Florio. "Don't disrupt anything; it's like the baseball player. You see it in other sports, but baseball seems the one because they have so much time sitting around being bored that they come up with all these dumb superstitions like this. It is working."
Florio added that it doesn't matter if he isn't Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, or Dan Marino. He said all that matters is winning, and the Steelers are doing that so far. There is no reason to add the pressure of an official title to Fields when he is successful.
There is something to that old adage about not fixing things that aren't broken, and right now, Fields definitely isn't broken. According to Florio, he has been impressed with the growth he has seen each week. While Tomlin might be playing a word game about who is really the starter, Florio believes it is an important one, even if there is some superstition involved.
"Fields was running out of the pocket, and with the Bears, he just would have taken off; with the Steelers, he held the ball. He was patient. He completed a pass. It's coaching him up to be a better passer while taking full advantage of his agility, acceleration, and overall mobility. That's where he becomes a better option."
From Wilson's perspective, while he surely wants to play and prove himself, he doesn't want to rush. At 35 years old, Wilson's sore calf is more likely to turn into an actual Achilles injury if he isn't careful.
Matt Freed / AP
Steelers' Justin Fields shines in his home debut as Pittsburgh defeats the Los Angeles Chargers.
Steelers' Justin Fields Is The Better Fit
Florio also said that he believes that while the Steelers chose Wilson over Fields initially, now that they are both in Pittsburgh working out with the staff, Fields is proving to be the better fit. He believes they may have had concerns over the kinds of mistakes Fields made with the Chicago Bears, but he is benefiting from the coaching in the Steel City.
The Herald Star
Steelers' offensive leaders Justin Fields and Arthur Smith during warmups.
New Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith runs the exact kinds of plays that Fields was built for. Florio added that this is the best coaching Fields has ever received and it shows in the growth he is already displaying.
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