Steelers' Russell Wilson's Former Teammate Calls Out Arthur Smith For Repulsive Failure: "Go Rogue"

The Pittsburgh Steelers were hopeful that Russell Wilson could help end their playoff win drought in the 2024 season. At first, it seemed highly unlikely when Wilson went down with a calf injury, and Justin Fields led the team to a 4-2 record. However, a big decision by Mike Tomlin to bench Fields for Wilson shocked many pundits. This highlighted Tomlin's faith in Wilson, and at first, it looked like the right move as the offense was thriving, and the Steelers were 10-3.

Then Wilson and the Steelers lost five straight games to end the season, and now it's more difficult to defend Wilson after a brutal end to the year. Wilson didn’t play poorly, but his age showed, and his pocket presence clearly wasn’t good enough. The Steelers’ once-promising season quickly unraveled, and the offensive struggles mounted. With questions about Wilson’s ability to carry the team in crucial moments, many fans and analysts are left wondering if he’s still the answer at quarterback.

Now, the Steelers have some tough choices to make at quarterback in the 2025 offseason. Wilson's former teammate during the 2018 season with the Seattle Seahawks, Brandon Marshall, spoke out on his podcast I Am Athlete recently. Marshall voiced his concerns about Wilson’s situation, expressing disappointment in how things unfolded in Pittsburgh. His comments add another layer to the growing uncertainty surrounding Wilson’s future with the Steelers.

"This is what I would say," Marshall said. "I would've love to seen Russell Wilson go rogue. When he goes up-tempo, when he calls the game, that dude's stats are crazy. And don't have me look them up because I already got 'em. I'm loaded. That's how l'd hold him accountable. We ain't got time to play with these people. Legacy is on the line, careers are on the line. This dude got you in three tight end packages. I want to see Russ throw a..." Marshall said before the entire panel started going off on him for his take.

Marshall’s opinion wasn’t met with much confidence, as the other five panelists on the show loudly disagreed, accusing him of making excuses for Wilson. 

Despite the backlash, Marshall stood his ground, explaining that Wilson had missed the first six games, lost his star wide receiver for several crucial matchups, and faced off against some of the league’s top teams.

"They lose the last four games," Marshall said. "Pickens went down. His guy who opened the whole offense, he went down." 

A couple of things can be true, and it’s important to note that Marshall and Wilson were teammates in 2018. That season, Wilson posted a passer rating of 110.9, throwing for 3,448 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in 16 games. He was selected for his fifth Pro Bowl, and Marshall saw Wilson at his absolute best. While Marshall may be slightly blinded by those memories, he also believes Wilson is taking more blame than he truly deserves.

Steelers fans who closely followed Wilson in 2024 know a few key things. Wilson did make a positive impact on the offense, and for the first time in a while, his leadership was a noticeable asset. 

Steelers' Russell Wilson May Not Be Fully To Blame For Late Season Failure

However, despite putting up solid stats and keeping the Steelers in many games, he wasn’t able to rise to the occasion against the Super Bowl-contending teams. Wilson’s performances were steady, but when the Steelers needed him most, he fell short of being competitive in the biggest moments.

Marshall appears to be placing much of the blame on Arthur Smith’s play-calling and scheme. It's unclear why the Steelers veered away from what was working for Wilson during their winning streak, but someone definitely dropped the ball. 

Marshall believes Smith should shoulder the full responsibility and argues that Wilson, with his veteran experience, should have taken matters into his own hands and run the offense the way he saw fit.

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