The Pittsburgh Steelers have been stuck in quarterback purgatory ever since Ben Roethlisberger decided to retire following the 2021 season. The organization did not have a proper backup plan for him retiring, which is precisely why the franchise has had a different Week 1 starter at quarterback in each of the last four seasons. Pittsburgh has only attempted to draft one quarterback high, and that was Kenny Pickett back in 2022. That didn't work out as he was only with the team for two seasons. Other than Pickett, the franchise has gone the veteran route when it comes to finding a starter.
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Former Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson throws the football during the Pro Bowl skills game.
Aaron Rodgers started for the Steelers during the 2025 season, and there is a chance that he will return for the 2026 season as well. Prior to Rodgers, the veteran that the Steelers had brought in was Russell Wilson. Wilson played well at times for the Steelers, and the group even had a record of 10-3 at one point. The 2024 season ended with a disastrous losing streak as the Steelers had to go through a gauntlet thanks to the schedule the franchise was handed by the NFL.
Wilson joined Bussin' With The Boys on Tuesday, and he spoke about his time with the organization.
"Okay, now what do I want to do?" Wilson asked himself after being benched by Denver. "So I go to Pittsburgh with Mike Tomlin. To go there with guys like Cam Heyward and TJ Watt, and be around that organization and that like old school football -- like they are obsessed with ball. That fan base and the towel was one of the coolest experiences. Even though it was only a year there, it was one of my best experiences with the relationships I have there."
Wilson was signed by the Steelers just before free agency began during the 2024 offseason. He was able to sign before free agency as he was cut by the Denver Broncos after two seasons with the franchise. Since he had a bunch of guaranteed money left on his deal with the Broncos, Pittsburgh was able to bring him in for next to nothing.
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Russell Wilson looks up at the scoreboard during a home game with the Denver Broncos.
Wilson came into Pittsburgh and started 11 games for the franchise. He missed the start of the season after going through a nagging calf issue that occurred right before training camp began. He missed the first six games of the season, and he still managed to throw for over 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also threw five interceptions, and his play seemed to decline dramatically as the year went on. At one point, it looked like Pittsburgh may want to bring Wilson back on a multi-year deal, but that excitement quickly faded as did the quarterback's performances.
The Steelers made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with Wilson after the 2024 season, and he went on to sign a one-year deal with the New York Giants. He was named the starter to begin the year, but he was benched after just three games.
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Former Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson runs against the Bengals in Week 13 of the 2024 regular season during an away game in Cincinnati, OH.
Steelers Reinvigorated Russell Wilson
Pittsburgh revived Wilson's career in a sense, even though his career is likely dead once again after getting benched by the Giants after just three starts as mentioned. He seemed to enjoy his time in Pittsburgh, and he enjoyed being able to be around great players like Cam Heyward and TJ Watt. He called it one of the best experiences of his career, which is interesting considering how bad the end of the season was. The Steelers lost the final four games of the regular season, and Wilson did not play well at all. The group then got beat by the rival Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
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