The Pittsburgh Steelers reset their quarterback room last offseason, bringing in Justin Fields and Russell Wilson to compete for the starting job. While both quarterbacks saw the field, only one of them is likely to be on the Steelers roster in 2025.
Because of Wilson’s injury, Fields opened the regular season as the Steelers starting quarterback. He went 4-2 as the starter, recording a 93.9 QB rating while averaging 222.8 total yards per game with 10 total touchdowns. Then, head coach Mike Tomlin decided to make a change.
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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
Wilson posted a 6-5 record as the Steelers starting quarterback, but he was a more effective passer. He averaged 7.4 yards per attempt in 11 starts, posting his lowest interception rate (1.5%) since 2020 while averaging 225.6 passing yards per game.
Both quarterbacks are now set to hit NFL free agency, with Pittsburgh having just a few weeks to negotiate a new contract before both veteran quarterbacks hit the open market. The team has an interest in both quarterbacks, but it appears neither is viewed as a long-term solution.
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Ian Rapoport and Tom Pellisero of NFL Network reported on Sunday that the Steelers want to re-sign one of the two quarterbacks unless another veteran becomes available. Barring someone like Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers hitting free agency, though, Pittsburgh is expected to sign Wilson or Fields to a short-term deal.
- Justin Fields stats 2024 (ESPN): 93.3 QB rating, 5-1 TD-INT, 1,106 passing yards, 6.9 yards per attempt, 65.8% completion rate, 289 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns in 10 games
It would only be a one- or two-year contract, as the Steelers front office is reportedly continuing its process to find a long-term answer at the position. One strong possibility is taking a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, but there are no indications of how early Pittsburgh is willing to draft a signal-caller.
There will be competition for both Fields and Wilson. The Indianapolis Colts have reportedly long been fans of Fields while the Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly open to reuniting Wilson with head coach Pete Carroll. Whichever of the two lands in Pittsburgh would be the presumptive favorite to be the Steelers starting quarterback in 2025, potentially with a rookie looming behind them.
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