Rich Eisen: Pittsburgh Steelers are Russell Wilson's 'Last Chance Saloon'

Rich Eisen, in his serious, yet comical take on Russell Wilson, says the quarterback knows his new Steelers gig is his last best chance of his NFL career.

He needs to shed that smell he got from the Denver Broncos, Eisen said, to revive what had been a terrific career.

“I just think that Russ had got to know this is the Last Chance Saloon,” Eisen said earlier this week on his podcast. “It really is.”

The Steelers did a complete renovation of their quarterback room last week. They first signed Wilson, who was being released by the Broncos. And they traded for Justin Fields from Chicago. In the middle of all of that, the Steelers traded a disgruntled Kenny Pickett to the Eagles. Meanwhile, Mason Rudolph moved on and signed with the Titans, while Mitch Trubisky secured a spot as Josh Allen’s backup in Buffalo.

💻 @kurt13warner

Is @DangeRussWilson and the Steelers a match made in #NFL heaven or will this go like things did in Denver for the veteran QB?#NFLFreeAgency #NFLDraft #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/IMeCTOSUhA

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) March 19, 2024

Eisen says Wilson has chance to succeed with ‘loaded’ Steelers

As of now, Wilson is QB1. That’s the plan headed into mini camps and the preseason. Fields will sit and learn from Wilson, who took the Seahawks to two Super Bowls, with one Lombardi victory.

And in another win for the Steelers, at least financially, Wilson will earn only the NFL veteran minimum of $1.2 million. The Broncos still owe him up to $39 million, guaranteed, for this season.

Eisen used Wilson’s recent travel itinerary as an example of how the quarterback should gauge his recent status.

Denver, he said “is on Russ’ resume whether he deserves it or not. But that happened and if he had more success, it would not have happened. He would have been sitting there in Denver on a Hall of Fame track for sure. Instead, he’s now in Pittsburgh. Nothing is more serious for a quarterback of his stature than flying commercial through Newark.”

Eisen said “this is it for him. I would have never guessed coming out of the last two years that he would’ve found an organization that not only would have him come in, but have him come in as a clean starter. This is his gig and I think he knows this.

“I’m just saying that Russ has got to know that if it doesn’t happen here who else is going to say ‘We’ll take a 36 year old version of that.’ He’s in a great shot with a team that is loaded and set up to run an offense that will suit him. But there also is a 25 year old ready to take his job.”