Pittsburgh Steelers name Russell Wilson Week 1 starting quarterback

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced Wednesday that Russell Wilson will serve as the team’s starting quarterback in the Week 1 road contest against the Atlanta Falcons.

Wilson, 35, beat out Justin Fields in the competition to secure the QB1 duties. Wilson, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million deal with the Steelers this offseason following his release from the Denver Broncos, came into training camp in the “pole position” over Fields, Tomlin previously said. Fields, acquired from the Chicago Bears, ultimately didn’t do enough to supplant Wilson, with the Super Bowl champion’s experience winning out.

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“Obviously, Russ’s résumé is a unique one in terms of length and success,” Tomlin said, via Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show. “That tends to play a factor in the decision making but not from a decision making’s perspective, it’s just fruit of his labor. He’s seen a lot, done a lot and I think it was reflected in the way he played and conducted himself.”

Tomlin called it a “difficult decision” to name Wilson the starter over Fields, though not in a negative way.

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Mike Tomlin explains his decision to officially name Russell Wilson QB 1 pic.twitter.com/nud25VZGSj

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Mike Tomlin goes with Russell Wilson in Week 1 vs. Falcons

“I met with both quarterbacks here just a few minutes ago after practice and I informed them that Russ is QB1 going into Week 1,” Tomlin said, via Jenna Harner of WPXI. “It was a difficult decision but not difficult in a negative way to be quite honest with you. It was difficult in a positive way. The decision was difficult because of what they’re capable of doing. The decision was difficult because of how they have conducted themselves as opposed to the things that they fall short in, in terms of capabilities or negative conduct.”

Both Wilson and Fields got snaps under their belt in the preseason, though Fields more than doubled his counterpart. Fields played 56 snaps in the preseason as opposed to Wilson’s 25. Fields, the 2021 first round pick, completed 19-of-27 passes for 199 yards, leading a single scoring drive. Wilson, meanwhile, went 10-of-12 for 73 yards. Wilson started under center in the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions this past Saturday, guiding the first-team offense to a scoring drive on their first possession.

Week 1 versus the Falcons will be Wilson’ first NFL start since Week 16 of last season before Broncos head coach Sean Payton benched him in favor of Jarrett Stidham. Wilson threw for 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his final season with the Broncos, but never lived up to the five-year, $242 million contract he signed ahead of the 2022 season.

He gets what could be his final shot at being a starting quarterback in the NFL with the Steelers, who are still looking for consistency at the most important position in the aftermath of Ben Roethlisberger‘s retirement after the 2021 campaign.