The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the league's most interesting quarterback situations going into training camp ahead of the 2024 season. Every face in the quarterback room was different from the 2023 season, from the starter to the quarterbacks coach. Going into camp, Russell Wilson was considered to be in "pole position" to start, but he suffered a calf injury. This opened the door for Justin Fields, who impressed during camp while filling in for Wilson.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields and Russell Wilson during training camp ahead of the 2024 season.
Despite missing nearly all of camp as a full participant, Wilson was still named the starter by Head Coach Mike Tomlin ahead of the regular season. Wilson's injury flared up again, which forced Fields to start the first five games of the season. Wilson is now fully health for the first time in the regular season, and there is a chance fans may see the veteran quarterback when Pittsburgh takes on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo went on The Silver And Black Show, where he was asked for a bold prediction for this contest.
"We see Russ. I know Mike Tomlin is eager to make it happen, it seems like he has been in Russ' corner the whole way. When he made the decision for Russ to be the starter, it wasn't the consensus within the Steelers building. So I'll say at some point, in some way, we will see Russ in this game."
Garafolo believes Wilson will make his regular season debut on Sunday, but it doesn't sound like he thinks he will start. There are only two scenarios where he would replace Fields in the middle of the game, and that is if the fourth-year quarterback suffers an injury, or struggles mightily. Fields has played well throughout his first five starts, but his most recent start in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys left a lot to be desired.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields runs during practice ahead of Week 3.
The decision of who would start between Wilson and Fields ahead of the regular season was a controversial one. Wilson could barely practice throughout the month of August, while Fields was lighting the defense up nearly every practice. It almost seemed like Tomlin didn't give Fields a fair chance to claim the starting job, and he instead had his mind made up before training camp even began.
Tomlin still named Wilson the starter, and according to Garafolo, not everyone in the building was on board with that. It wasn't a consensus decision that the coaching staff came to, as there were some coaches who believed Fields should be the starter.
Fields wound up getting the chance to be the starter - and he has done a good job. He will probably still start in Week 6, but with Wilson healthy, the young quarterback may be on a short leash in Las Vegas.
Steelers Could Have Their Franchise Quarterback In Justin Fields
Both Wilson and Fields are capable quarterbacks, but Pittsburgh has to think about the future of the organization when talking about their quarterback situation. Wilson is very clearly on the tail-end of his career, while Fields is still just 25-years old. Fields has shown flashes during his starts and he has taken care of the football for the most part -- many believe he has earned the right to start the remainder of the season.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields rolls out during a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills in 2024.
Pittsburgh will have an interesting decision to make following the 2024 season, as both quarterback's contracts will be up. Obviously, it would be beneficial for the Steelers to continue to start Fields so they can see if he could be their franchise quarterback moving forward. The organization has struggled at the position over the last three seasons, and they could have a solution on their roster, but Tomlin might be so stubborn that he ruins it.
What do you think of Garafolo's comments about the disagreement within the building regarding the quarterbacks? Let us know in the comments below!
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