Former Steelers CB Thinks Russell Wilson's Comeback Might Not Survive Justin Fields' Success

The Pittsburgh Steelers started quarterback Justin Fields in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, winning the game 18-10. Fields' win threw a spanner in the works of the narrative that Russell Wilson is the undisputed starter. If Wilson gets healthy enough to play, Head Coach Mike Tomlin may have to make some tough decisions about the future of the quarterback position in the Steel City.  

Wilson was signed this past offseason after former first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett struggled to find his footing in the league. A nine-time Pro Bowler, Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks to two Super Bowls, winning one. He seems on the trajectory to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, after two seasons with the Denver Broncos, their Head Coach, Sean Payton, couldn't move Wilson out fast enough. The team chose to pay his huge contract and allow him to just walk away. 

After Pickett left, the Steelers traded for Fields. It seemed as though the plan was for Fields, who has incredible athletic talent, to develop under Wilson and then hopefully be the team's future. In the meantime, the Black and Gold would benefit from Wilson's incredible expertise and professionalism. However, former Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson told Andrew Fillipponi on his 1st and Pod Podcast, according to a video from Fillipponi on X, that he thinks there's a good chance Wilson could lose his job because of his calf injury.

"Now he has the hot hand," said Peterson. "Russ didn't have the best of preseason, so now he's missed three more weeks of football. And now you got the younger Justin Fields playing mistake free football, if he's able to keep this up, keeping us in the ball game, defense playing lights out, he's not turning the ball over, making good decisions, the run game is really, really solid. It's Pittsburgh style football."

Rumors have swirled for years, really ever since Wilson married pop star Ciara, that he has become a diva. He went from being the hero in Seattle, to a pariah in the Mile High City. It is challenging to determine how much of that is real, versus the media's perception. Several of Wilson's teammates have spoken out in his support over the past couple of years, saying that he is a good person and a tremendous competitor who just wants to win. 

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, he has been out shaking hands and kissing babies. It feels as if he is trying to ensure that Steelers fans embrace him and don't believe all of the negative rumors about him. Fillipponi said that given all we have heard about Wilson, he can't see him being forced to take the backseat very well.    

"I can't either," agreed Peterson. "But just being in and around there last year. If the young fellow had gone 3-0, mark my words, he would have been the starter."

While the public hasn't been given a definitive answer about who will start in Denver, it is hard to imagine that Wilson will get it. During the Falcons game, Fields did a solid job protecting the ball, while Arthur Smith kept the play-calling fairly conservative. They will face a different defense in Denver, and it will be interesting to see how Smith and Fields adapt and grow. 

Steelers' Justin Fields Impressed Mike Greenberg

After his first game in black and gold, Fields received mixed feedback. Many felt that he did exactly what Smith asked him to do and, most importantly, walked away with zero turnovers. Others felt that Tomlin had Smith handcuffed, thus holding Fields back. 

However, Mike Greenberg of ESPN's show Get Up, was really impressed by what he saw and by Fields' incredible talent. He compared the young quarterback to one of the greatest of all-time, Steve Young, from the San Francisco 49ers. Greenberg also said he reminds him of the Philadelphia Eagles' Randall Cunningham. Young and Cunningham were mobile quarterbacks in an era where that was not the norm. That is high praise, especially because Young won three Super Bowls. 

What do you think about Wilson's chances of keeping or losing this starting job? Click to comment below.

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