Steelers Starting QB Russell Wilson In Week 1

According to Jay Glazer, the Steelers have decided to name QB Russell Wilson the starter for Week 1. 

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin confirmed the news shortly afterward that Wilson will start against the Falcons next week. 

Coach Tomlin has named Russell Wilson as the starting quarterback. pic.twitter.com/REWKkybpNo

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 28, 2024

Wilson was pushed hard by backup QB Justin Fields this preseason after being sidelined at the start of training camp with a calf injury. 

Still, the Steelers maintained all offseason that Wilson had the “pole position” to start and he was able to hold off Fields, though it remains to be seen how long his leash in the regular season is if Pittsburgh starts to struggle. 

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.

We’ll have more on the Steelers quarterback situation as the news is available.