After a 4-2 start to the season with Justin Fields at quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin made the decision to officially switch to Russell Wilson. The move was certainly a controversial one. After all, the team was playing well, Fields was getting the job done and Wilson was coming off an entirely forgettable two-season run with the Denver Broncos.
Of course, Tomlin was right as usual. Wilson has looked excellent in his two starts, improving the team to 6-2 and revitalizing the offense. Plenty of people were wrong when they voiced their opposition to Wilson starting. One of those people was former defensive end Chris Long, who felt that Fields should keep the starting job. Now, Long is acknowledging that he was wrong.
“This is my public apology tour on one topic, and that’s Russell Wilson. I’ve gotten a lot of things right over the last year. This is one that I didn’t get right,” Long said, per Troy Montgomery on Steelers Depot.
“Justin Fields didn’t do quite enough, and [Wilson] might be perfect for what they’re trying to do… He might be perfect for this coordinator. He might be perfect for taking advantage of the shots, the shot opportunities that we didn’t even know were there, the play-action,” Long continued, via Steelers Depot.
Long played 11 seasons in the NFL and won championships towards the end of his career with the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. So he’s seen a lot of football. And to be fair, Long wasn’t alone in his critique.
Russell Wilson is proving he deserves to start for the Steelers
When things are going well, it’s very difficult to risk making a change with the hope that things can get even better. When Tomiln made his decision, it was met with skepticism from people around the NFL. Even the Steelers didn’t seem entirely sure about the move, as the team didn’t appear ready to move on from Fields.
New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith raved about Fields, calling him “extremely coachable.” Replacing him with a 35-year-old QB who looked washed up in Denver was absolutely a major gamble. It’s the type of move that only a coach of Tomlin’s stature has the luxury of making without worrying about it wrecking his career.
The Steelers named Wilson their starter prior to the season. However, the veteran passer aggravated a calf injury, which kept him sidelined through the team’s first six games. Once he returned to a full practice, Pittsburgh was forced to make a decision. And despite the second guessing from analysis like Long, Tomlin backed Wilson. Immediately the offense was unlocked.
The Steelers hung 37 points on the New York Jets in Wilson’s first start. They followed that up with a 26-18 victory over the New York Giants before going on bye in Week 9. Wilson even made franchise history with the most passing yards over any quarterback’s first two starts in Pittsburgh (with 542 yards).
The Steelers will take on the red-hot Washington Commanders on the road in Week 10. Pittsburgh is looking to improve to 7-2 and remain in first place in the AFC North.
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