Steelers QB Russell Wilson Active For Week 6 As Primary Backup

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said Russell Wilson will likely be active for Week 6 against the Raiders as Justin Fields‘ primary backup, per Brooke Pryor. 

Wilson has been out since aggravating a calf injury right before Week 1. This week was the first time he was a full participant in practice since then and there was some question about whether Wilson would start once returned.

The veteran quarterback was originally named the Week 1 starter by Tomlin until missing extended time with his calf injury. But with Fields leading Pittsburgh to a 3-2 record, including a 3-0 start, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise to see Fields continue getting the nod. 

It will be interesting to see if Wilson gets more consideration to start if Pittsburgh’s results take a downturn. 

Wilson, 35, is a former third-round pick of the Seahawks back in 2012. He was entering the final year of his five-year, $89.142 million contract when the Seahawks signed him to a four-year, $140 million extension that included a $65 million signing bonus. 

The Seahawks traded him to the Broncos in 2022 in a blockbuster deal. Wilson stood to make base salaries of $19 million and $22 million over the final two years of his deal when he agreed to a new five-year, $245 million extension that included $165 million in guaranteed money.

However, Wilson didn’t even reach the new portion of his deal before being released by the Broncos, who absorbed a record $85 million dead cap hit. The Steelers later signed him to a one-year contract. 

In 2023, Wilson appeared in 15 games for the Broncos and completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions to go along with 341 yards rushing and three touchdowns.