Steelers' Russell Wilson Visibly Frustrated By Team's Decision After 18-10 Win Sunday

The Pittsburgh Steelers surprised many by starting Justin Fields over Russell Wilson in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. When Pittsburgh decided to bring in new quarterbacks after the 2023 season, Head Coach Mike Tomlin had the choice between Wilson and Fields and chose Wilson to start originally. Tomlin has been saying all offseason that Wilson has "pole position" based on his success during his long career.  

When Wilson suffered a calf injury just before the start of training camp, Fields was allowed to step up under center and lead the team more than anyone expected. This increased the fervor among some media about having Fields as the starter. The debate has ramped up since Fields helped the team win against the Falcons. Tomlin will have to decide who to play in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos: the quarterback who was meant to start, or the one who just won their first game of the season; a game they were expected to lose. 

Mark Kaboly, from The Pat McAfee Show, joined the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show with Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson. He said that Wilson did not appear to be very happy about the win. He thinks they will have difficulty keeping him off the field in the Mile High City.   

"Russell Wilson, after the game, normally a happy, jovial guy, had a little scowl on his face," said Kaboly. "I don't think he was quite happy not playing. I'm sure he felt he could play, but they weren't gonna let him play."

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Wilson seems to be doing all he can to change the negative narrative surrounding him. Over the past few years, he has gained the reputation that he is a diva or that he is not a team player. He's worked out with his new teammates, attended sporting events, and has even appeared at charity occasions in Pittsburgh. 

The Steelers' offense has lacked leadership and identity since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Wilson has went to nine Pro Bowls and took the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl twice, winning once. He knows what it takes to lead a team to success; surely that is part of what drew General Manager Omar Khan and Tomlin to him. This sounds completely out of character for the Wilson the Pittsburgh media has seen and Crowley asked Kaboly to clarify. 

"Russ is always happy and being 'Hi, how are you? What a wonderful day,' and he was just like not quite glaring, but he didn't look like he was having fun -- but he did not play/participate, so that's probably why. I mean, there was never a chance. He went out there and Justin Fields said he tested, he didn't test c*** yesterday. He just went out and threw a couple balls. There was no chance he was playing, probably from Friday morning onward.

The Black and Gold offense never made it into the end zone in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, instead winning off the leg of Chris Boswell 18-10. While Fields had a far-from-perfect game, seeing the offense extend drives and look creative was refreshing. 

Steelers' Mike Tomlin's Decision Is A No-Brainer 

While much of the media is wondering who will start against the Broncos next week, Kaboly said the choice is easy: Wilson. He told the 93.7 gang that they would have to "chop off his leg" to keep Wilson from wanting a revenge win against the team that threw him away. He said Wilson was upset that he wasn't playing against the Falcons, so he couldn't imagine how he'd be if he had to sit for Denver. 

Kaboly said that he doesn't believe Fields performed at a high enough level to outperform Wilson. He believes Wilson, at 80%, is better than Fields at 100%. The Steelers' offense was designed around Wilson, and he is their best shot at success. According to Kaboly, Fields cannot spread the field and struggles to get the ball in the hands of his various weapons. 

Are you surprised Wilson was visibly angry about not playing? Click to comment below. 

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