Clinching the wild card only to lose to their AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens to end the season was not something the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, the players, or the fans expected for the team. The Steelers looked promising for a few stretches during the season, but ending the season on a 5-game losing streak has to hurt. So, what is next for the team after a disappointing 10 and 7 campaign and are there any rumors on the horizon? Read on to learn more and be sure to check out Sport Betting Canada for all of your NFL news and odds.
AP Photos
Steelers' Patrick Queen chats with Ravens' Lamar Jackson after game.
The QB Drama Continues
The offseason is well underway for the team as they enter free agency looking to shake things up at the most important position, the quarterback. As reports are coming in, they seem to not want to re-sign either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields to be the team’s QBs in 2025. Terry Bradshaw, a legend of the sport and four-time Super Bowl champion, does not want either player moving forward for his former team.
“I don’t like either as a quarterback. I’m not a Russell Wilson fan. I Thought when Sean Payton got rid of Russell in Denver, that told me all I needed to know.” On Fields, he added that “he’s really talented, but he just hasn’t adapted well enough to the game. He’s had some great games, but he’s not like a Jayden Daniels or a Caleb Williams in Chicago.”
Art Rooney II, team president and owner, said in January that his franchise is looking to sign one of them though. Both players want to return, tasting some success during the season before the ultimate collapse. Now, however, there seems to be a riff between Wilson and the team as they do not want him back after all. According to DK Pittsburgh Sports’ Dejan Kovacevic, “Russell Wilson’s not wanted by the Steelers, like, at all.” As to why, he added that the QB “wasn’t following the play calls, he was holding the ball way too long, and he no longer could escape defenders in the backfield.” Ouch. Seeing the issues in 2024, the team is understandably weary about resigning him and having him repeat them in 2025. To make matters worse, the Ravens look to be the preferred destination of Fields as opposed to the Steelers so there goes the other option.
Wilson Or Fields?
Coaches are among the first to be changed after a disappointing season, and the 2024 campaign of the Pittsburgh team more than qualifies. While the higher-ups prefer Fields, Tomlin has a certain loyalty to Wilson. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, some people in Pittsburgh’s building prefer Fields over Wilson, who is also a free agent, as the starter, due to age and mobility. Coach Mike Tomlin seems to have a loyalty to Wilson that could lead the team in that direction, though.” Adding to it, the reporter says, “Fields could have a sneaky good market and price himself out of Pittsburgh. Wilson loved his season and is open to returning, "but wants to explore the market too. Will this cause a rift between Tomlin and the team, and could the coach be the one to blame? Probably not, but stranger things have happened!
