Pittsburgh Steelers name Justin Fields starting QB vs. Falcons amid Russell Wilson injury

Justin Fields will start for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their season-opening showdown against the Atlanta Falcons, per the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Fellow Steelers QB Russell Wilson is still battling a calf injury that he reportedly suffered during training camp.

According to Ian Rapoport, Wilson “barely did anything,” on Friday at practice and was not on the field when reporters were viewing the team’s practice. Nonetheless, it appeared to be a last-minute decision for the Steelers.

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“Russell Wilson is telling them, he wants to play,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on ESPN Sunday morning. “He’s going to go out there, warm up, see if he can go. I’m told the doctors are going to be careful, but we’ll see what ultimately is the final quarterback decision if Russell Wilson can start. Clearly, Justin Fields would and he will be doing it in the area in which he is from.”

More on Justin Fields

From Kennesaw, Georgia, Fields grew up around the Atlanta area and even played football (briefly) for the Georgia Bulldogs in college before ultimately transferring to Ohio State.

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Fields, a 2021 first-round pick for the Chicago Bears out of Ohio State, is entering his fourth season in the NFL. Chicago went 10-28 in his starts before trading him away this offseason. He has thrown for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions on 60.3% passing. Pass protection in front of him was an issue, as he was sacked 135 times, including a league-high 55 times in 2022.

Fields’ strength has been his playmaking ability with his legs, as he has rushed for 2,220 yards and 14 scores. He rushed for 1,143 yards in 2022, the second-most all-time in a single season by a quarterback (Lamar Jackson, 1,206 yards in 2019).

Now, he will look to make an impact in his new environment. The Steelers will square off against the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on FOX.

On3’s Barkley Truax also contributed to this article.