Former Steelers Rival Bill Belichick Gives Strong Opinion On Pittsburgh's Quarterback Situation

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some memorable battles against former New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. After the 2023 season, it was announced that the Patriots were parting ways with Belichick, marking the end of an era. These days, Belichick is spending his time making notable media appearances with national pundits.

Belichick also appears on a podcast where he discusses various league developments. Recently, the Steelers' quarterback situation has been heating up, with Justin Fields starting and leading the team to a respectable 4-2 record. However, on Tuesday, Mike Tomlin hinted that Russell Wilson could soon take over as the starter.

Speaking on The Coach Podcast, Belichick shared his thoughts on the situation. While the Steelers haven't officially named Wilson the starter yet, all signs point to him starting against the New York Jets. However, Belichick expressed doubt about whether it's a wise decision to make that change at this point in the season.

"Russell's a veteran quarterback and that guy knows how to play," Belichick said. "But he just hasn't had the timing and the live snaps because he certainly didn't get them in preseason. So it's a tough task to come in there at this point in the season with really no reps."

Belichick raises a valid concern. When the Steelers signed Wilson, fans were eager to see what he could bring to the team. Once considered one of the elite quarterbacks in the league with nine Pro Bowl appearances, Wilson’s stock has dropped after two tough seasons with the Denver Broncos.

Now, with the offensive line banged up, Wilson coming off a lengthy absence due to a calf injury, and the fact that he’s 35 years old, it’s a challenge for him to return to his former form. Belichick went on to offer his thoughts on how the Steelers should handle their quarterback situation moving forward.

"You go with that quarterback when you're sure that he's gonna upgrade your team. If you're not sure, you probably stay with where you're at."

Belichick's advice was fairly straightforward: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it unless the fix is a lot better. That seems to reflect how many Steelers fans are viewing this unique situation. It’s not often a team has two starting-caliber quarterbacks, but Pittsburgh appears to be in that rare position. While Wilson has some question marks, many believe he still has quality football left in him.

Tomlin seems to believe that Wilson could elevate the offense. Starting Wilson might also allow Tomlin and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith to open up the passing game more. Fields, to his credit, hasn’t played poorly—his mobility has been a key factor in the Steelers' 4-2 record. However, it seems like Tomlin views Wilson as a true upgrade for the 2024 season.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Hasn't Declared Russell Wilson The Starter 100%

When Tomlin spoke to the media, he didn’t officially declare Wilson the starter, but his comments suggested that Wilson is back in the lead. Fields and Wilson will continue splitting first-team reps in practice, but Tomlin hinted strongly that Wilson might be the guy. 

While some Steelers fans are hesitant about moving away from a quarterback who’s winning games, they’d be lying if they said they weren’t curious to see what the former Super Bowl champion still has left in the tank.

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