The Pittsburgh Steelers are turning heads around the NFL as the team is replacing quarterbacks despite a 4-2 start to the season.
Multiple reports, including from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, indicate that the Steelers will be starting Russell Wilson against the New York Jets on Sunday night instead of Justin Fields.
It will be Wilson’s first start of the season, as he’s been dealing with a calf injury. Wilson has been working with the first-team offense this week.
While the Super Bowl-winning QB was absent, Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 start. The 2021 first-round pick threw for over 1,100 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception. Fields also rushed for 231 yards and another five scores.
Even though Wilson is starting, don’t be surprised if Fields takes the field at some point to mix things up.
NFL insiders speculate if draft compensation caused Pittsburgh Steelers to bench Justin Fields
The Steelers traded a sixth-round pick to the Chicago Bears for Fields. However, if Fields plays 51% of the regular-season snaps, that pick gets upgraded to a fourth-rounder.
Some people around the NFL are speculating that this might have influenced head coach Mike Tomlin’s decision to start Wilson over Fields, according to Russini.
“More than anything, league-wide, many are questioning why Tomlin would make a move like this when things are going well. We’ll find out Sunday night if Tomlin is smarter than everyone — or if this decision blows up, as some fear it might,” Russini wrote.
The Steelers are two-point home underdogs against the Jets on Sunday Night Football.
Related:Â See where Justin Fields lands in our Week 7 fantasy rankings