Signs have continuously pointed toward a reunion between Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran quarterback is slated for unrestricted free agency but has expressed his desire to return to the team, and the feeling is seemingly mutual.
Wilson said he's "focused on the Steelers" amid connections to his previous head coach, Pete Carroll, who's searching for a new Las Vegas Raiders quarterback. Pittsburgh's front office and ownership have been in lockstep about retaining the 36-year-old (or his backup, Justin Fields, who's also headed for the open market). The stars are ostensibly aligning for a continued partnership.
However, one under-the-radar comment from another former colleague of Wilson's may have been a thinly veiled wake-up call to the Steelers. Ex-Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator and current Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer inadvertently cautioned Pittsburgh not to put too much on his plate.
Brian Schottenheimer’s joke about Russell Wilson is actually an advisory warning to the Steelers
At the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Schottenheimer discussed his background as a coach 'typically affiliated with run-heavy offenses' (h/t Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan). He's worked under renowned sideline generals who understand the importance of the ground game, like Carroll, his father, Marty, and Jeff Fisher. Subsequently, the 51-year-old has learned the consequences of straying away from the norm, jokingly referencing how it cost him a job in Seattle.
"I got in trouble [in Seattle] for letting Russ [Wilson] cook a little bit," Schottenheimer told reporters.
Of course, Schottenheimer's referencing his falling out with the Seahawks in 2021, when he got fired for "philosophical differences" with Carroll. The one-time Seattle play-caller was dismissed for airing it out with Wilson under center despite them resetting franchise passing records in the 2020 campaign.
Schottenheimer proceeds by talking about the importance of having a reliable rushing attack and controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Conveniently, that's what the Steelers have been predicated on under longtime head coach Mike Tomlin. Moreover, Pittsburgh has backs to lean on instead of forcing the issue with Wilson, assuming they re-sign their Najee Harris-Jaylen Warren backfield tandem.
So, let Schottenheimer's remark serve as a word to the wise, Steeler Nation. Instead of letting Russ cook, give him a chance to slow-roast — or risk getting canned like Schottenheimer once did.