The Pittsburgh Steelers had success this past season with both quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and now faces a decision between which to re-sign this offseason. While a final call won’t be made for weeks, there are early indications of what direction things are headed.
Wilson was the superior quarterback in 2024, posting a higher QB rating than Fields and proving to be far more effective in passing downfield and moving the chains. However, Fields is significantly younger and would offer Pittsburgh more of a long-term option at quarterback.
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- Russell Wilson stats (ESPN): 95.6 QB rating, 16-5 TD-INT ratio 2,482 passing yards, 7.4 yards per attempt, 63.7% completion rate, 155 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns in 11 games
Both veteran quarterbacks will have relatively strong markets this spring. The Steelers, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts are all expected to pursue a starting-caliber passer. Whichever quarterback Pittsburgh signs will be the favorite to start next season, with the other taking a job elsewhere. Now, there might be a leading candidate for an exit.
Addressing the Steelers quarterback decision, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared his belief that Wilson will be playing for another NFL team next season. The senior writer mentions that this past season with Wilson was “challenging for the Pittsburgh staff” and his fall-off late in the year obviously hurt his chances of a return.
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Breer also shared his sense that the “pro-Wilson narratives” that came out early in February likely were not well received within the Steelers organization. While Pittsburgh recognizes it had its share of issues, the recent narrative that emerged defending Wilson seemed to put more blame on the team than the quarterback.
It could push Pittsburgh even further towards siding with Fields, who offers more upside and is a viable threat to run the football. However, even if the former first-round pick returns, Breer believes Fields would need to compete for the Steelers starting quarterback job in training camp with either another veteran or a rookie.
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