Perry Knotts/Getty Images
Russell Wilson appears to have an edge on Justin Fields in the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback battle.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that while the two new additions are set to contend for the starting quarterback spot, the veteran Wilson has been getting the majority of reps so far.
“Since the arrivals of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the Steel City, both quarterbacks have been saying all the right things when asked about who will be the starter opening weekend against the Falcons.”For now, Wilson and Fields will battle for the starting gig, but to find out who has the inside track so far, just look at where the reps at practice are allocated. That, combined with some conversations with sources in Pittsburgh, indicates Wilson is getting a majority of the work.”
This isn’t necessarily a surprise, as Wilson was still “seen” as the team’s starting quarterback even when it acquired Fields in March. However, that doesn’t mean the position was promised to Wilson, and the team does view the current situation as a quarterback battle.
Wilson’s career numbers prove why he deserves the early edge. He has thrown for 43,653 yards with 334 touchdowns and 106 interceptions in his career and has compiled a 115-72-1 record as a starter. He has been named to the Pro Bowl nine times and helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl XLVIII victory.
His tenure in Denver was rocky, as he went 11-19 as the team’s starter, but he did have better statistics in 2023. The franchise decided to go in a different direction and swallowed his dead cap hit, which allowed him to go to a Steelers team that needed to solidify the quarterback position.
Pittsburgh decided to add Fields to that mix as well and hedge that bet. He has gone just 10-28 as a starter for the Chicago Bears, but did have 1,143 rushing yards and 2,242 passing yards in 2022 and has shown potential as a dual threat signal-caller.
Still, he will have to show why he should be the starter over Wilson, and that may be a very difficult task.
