The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the more intriguing quarterback battles across the league this year, as Russell Wilson and Justin Fields duked it out for the starting job. The veteran Wilson ended up getting named the team's Week 1 starter, and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith recently pulled back the curtain on Pittsburgh's big decision.
Pittsburgh completely revamped their quarterback room this offseason, replacing Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph with a former Super Bowl winner in Wilson and a unique dual-threat option in Fields. Ultimately, Wilson ended up coming out on top, with Smith saying that his experience and knack for winning games helped him earn the job.
Arthur Smith, Steelers hoping Russell Wilson can bounce back
It's not like Wilson's history as an established quarterback won him this job. He struggled mightily during his two seasons with the Denver Broncos, and they are eating an inordinate amount of money to not have him on their roster anymore. Pittsburgh took a flier on him in hopes that he still has a little bit of magic left in the tank.
Fields showed a lot of promise during his time with the Chicago Bears, but injuries and an inconsistent supporting cast held him back. He's still young and could eventually end up being Pittsburgh's quarterback of the future, but for now, they are going to have him sit on the sidelines and develop behind the scenes as he adapts to being on a new team.
Smith's explanation for naming Wilson the starter over Fields isn't exactly groundbreaking, but it does help show what the Steelers value in their quarterback. Even though he struggled with the Broncos, Wilson has a track record of winning football games, and for a team that isn't rebuilding, even though they have seen their offensive unit endure quite a bit of turnover during the past few months, that trait is very meaningful.
There's no guarantee Wilson will be able to get himself back on track, but as Smith notes, that's what the Steelers are hoping happens. If he can't get going, they have a backup plan in Fields at the very least, but it seems like Pittsburgh's new offensive coordinator is hopeful that Wilson can figure things out, and if he can, they could end up being a sneaky playoff contender once again.
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