Steelers' Mike Tomlin Reveals What Made Russell Wilson Irresistible After Leaving The Broncos

The Pittsburgh Steelers have really benefitted from offseason additions during the 2024 season. Pittsburgh made a ton of moves on both sides of the football, in free agency and through the trade market. Defensive additions like Patrick Queen, Donte Jackson, and DeShon Elliott have paid massive dividends, while the offense has been upgraded thanks to the quarterback position. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were brought in during the 2024 offseason, and both players have seemed to be major upgrades over what the Steelers had at the position in 2023.

Wilson was a big story during the 2024 offseason. He was released by the Denver Broncos after a tumultuous two seasons, and he was signed by the Steelers in the early stages of free agency. Pittsburgh was able to sign Wilson to a cheap deal due to the fact that he was still owed a ton money from the Broncos because of the extension he signed there in 2022, but Head Coach Mike Tomlin joined The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday and explained what went into the decision to bring in Wilson.

"First of all man, I had just been appreciative of his work for over a decade," Tomlin said. "His talents, the way he plays the position, his competitive spirit, his resume, all of those things were attractive to us. You couple that with a guy that experienced some personal or short-term difficulties man, he had something to prove. That was attractive to me as well to be quite honest with you man. A guy looking for a bounce back, a guy playing with an edge, a guy that knows he can do it, just needs an opportunity to show that again."

The veteran quarterback is one of the most experienced and successful active quarterbacks in the NFL today. His resume is impressive as he has played in two Super Bowls, and his veteran leadership was obviously attractive for what is a relatively young offense in Pittsburgh. Tomlin spoke about how Wilson may have a chip on his shoulder from his time in Denver, and the way Wilson was looking to prove he still can start in the NFL was something that attracted him to the quarterback.

Wilson's first season in Denver back in 2022 was a disaster. He had a first-time head coach in Nathaniel Hackett, and Hackett's team was so unorganized that he was fired before the end of the regular season. The Broncos then hired Sean Payton as the next head coach, and Payton and Wilson were not a good match. 

Payton wanted the opportunity to pick his own quarterback, and he wanted a young quarterback. Eventually Wilson was benched near the end of the 2023 season, despite playing decently well. He was benched for contractual reasons, and it became clear that the organization and the quarterback were going to part ways. Payton got his wish and was able to draft Bo Nix in 2024, and Wilson was able to start over in Pittsburgh, and that has been going extremely well for the 36-year old.

Steelers' Russell Wilson Has Proven He Was Not The Issue In Denver

Wilson's play in Pittsburgh has proven that he was not the issue in Denver, but it doesn't seem like Payton was either. It was just a poor pairing. Wilson is thriving while pursuing a new opportunity, and Payton is a candidate for the NFL's Coach Of The Year Award while the Broncos are currently firmly in the playoff picture with a rookie quarterback at the helm. 

The veteran quarterback has gone 6-1 as a starting quarterback for the Steelers, and he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league since becoming the starter. He only signed a one-year deal with the Steelers during the 2024 offseason, but it has become clear that Wilson will be in Pittsburgh for years to come.

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