The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the best stories in the NFL during the 2024 season, and that is mainly due to the quarterback position. The Steelers brought in two notable quarterbacks during the 2024 offseason who were shipped off by their former teams, and it has worked out perfectly for Pittsburgh. Justin Fields started the first six games of the season and went 4-2, Russell Wilson then took over the starting role and he has gone 6-1, while being one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Wilson has been a big reason for the success of the team during the 2024 season, and he has been proving every week that Head Coach Mike Tomlin made the right decision by giving him the starting job, even while Fields was 4-2 as a starter.
Despite the greatness that Wilson has displayed, Colin Cowherd believes that the Steelers should wait when it comes to re-signing Wilson.
"To me, you sign stars early," Cowherd said. "Don't screw around with top talent. But if somebody is a great fit, then you can wait. I think Russell Wilson is more a great fit than he is currently a great player. It's not a criticism. He is absolutely an upgrade at a position of need. Secondly, he's not spectacular, nor is he in his prime."
Ever since Wilson started to play well for the Steelers, his upcoming free agency has been the topic of discussion. He is only signed through the 2024 season with the Steelers, and he has expressed the desire to be in Pittsburgh past this season. His age makes it a little difficult to give him a huge deal, but his play certainly warrants one. Cowherd suspects he is only playing well because he is in a good situation, not because he is still a great player.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Russell Wilson and George Pickens celebrate after connecting on a touchdown in 2024.
Wilson was a bit of a mystery going into the 2024 season. He was coming off of two difficult seasons with the Denver Broncos, and it looked like all of his great play was behind him. There was debate about whether or not Wilson or Fields should be the starting quarterback, and the expectations for Wilson were fairly low going into the year based off of his play in Denver. Cowherd explained that this is a part of the reason Wilson is getting so much love for his play.
"Part of his appeal is that he's better than we thought," Cowherd said. "The Russell Wilson-Steeler thing, very low expectations. Truck-stop food is amazing when you're starving. Let's be honest, this offense, for five or six years, was awful, and it's no longer awful. It's not high, electric, dynamic, wow."
The Steelers' offense had been horrible for the last several years, so that is definitely a part of why what Wilson is doing is so great. Even with low expectations, he has been absolutely spectacular. He has led his team to six wins in seven games, which included some critical in-division games that have helped give the Steelers a firm lead in the AFC North. Cowherd has changed his mind around Wilson multiple times throughout this season, as he even said the veteran quarterback was playing on par with Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson throws a pass against the Baltimore Ravens during Week 11 of the 2024 regular season.
Steelers' Russell Wilson Has Completely Revived His Career
Wilson has only started in seven games, but he has thrown for nearly 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year, while throwing just three interceptions. He has a passer rating of over 100, and he seems to be a quarterback that can lead the Steelers on a run once the postseason begins. The offense as a whole looks a lot better with Wilson at the helm, as it has been one of the best units in the league over the last eight weeks.
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