Steelers QB Russell Wilson reveals how he suffered calf injury

New Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson finally filled in some details on his calf injury, the one that’s kept him sidelined for the first two days of training camp.

First, some background. Wilson reported to camp in Latrobe, Pa., on Wednesday. Reporters saw him with a backpack slung over his left shoulder, the playbook was in his right hand. He was weary comfortable gym shorts and a black Steelers t-shirt. He gave off a casual, comfortable vibe. And there was no hint of a limp as he took his stuff into the dorms at Saint Vincent’s College.

Then Thursday morning came, and Wilson was on the sidelines. Coach Mike Tomlin announced that Wilson had an issue with his calf, one he woke up with that morning. As Wilson watched practice, Justin Fields, another new Steelers quarterback, took over as QB1.

Wilson missed Friday’s workout as well. Post practice, he explained it happened with a sled, Wednesday afternoon, during conditioning exercises.

“We were doing a little sled push thing,” the Steelers quarterback said. “Just working hard, but sometimes these things happen. I feel good, and we’ll get there. Good thing is I’m getting a lot of the mental reps.”

A reporter asked if this was game week instead of training camp, would he play? Wilson said yes.

Russell Wilson said he injured his calf while pushing a sled during the conditioning test.

He said it’s “nothing too serious.” Didn’t put any timeline on his return. pic.twitter.com/XJn2VCZ1PB

— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) July 26, 2024

Tomlin told reporters that it was his decision to keep the 35-year-old Wilson on the sidelines to open camp. He said he wanted to keep a “minor thing from becoming major.”

Earlier, Fields said he received a text about 6 a.m. Thursday to let him know he’d be taking the first-team reps. From practice reports, Kyle Allen also saw some action.

Wilson watched everything. He told reporters that the Steelers have “a great training room, great people, great doctors. I feel good, nothing to panic about. I feel good.”

He said he had not pushed a sled in “while.” Then he added “it’s all good. Thing is, we’re all working hard together, so it’s a good thing.

“I hate missing practice, I hate not being out there,” the Steelers quarterback said. “The great news is I got a lot of time with the guys in the off season so I feel really confident with the guys we have and the guys I’m throwing to, playmakers and everything else. The good thing is … I get to go through a little adversity, respond to it, that’s really the reality. I’ve always been able to respond to adversity the right way.”