Mike Tomlin’s take on Steelers QB drama won’t make Russell Wilson happy

When the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired quarterback Justin Fields in a trade with the Chicago Bears, the expectation was that he would sit behind veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who signed with the team in free agency just days earlier.

The dynamics of the quarterback room have shifted since then, however. Despite being hampered by a calf injury, Wilson managed to beat out Fields for the starting role through training camp and the preseason. The nagging injury kept Wilson out of the lineup for the regular season debut, and a steady performance from Fields helped Pittsburgh jump out to a 3-0 record to start the season.

With Wilson scheduled to be a full participant in practice on Wednesday, the winds may be shifting once again. The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback has hoped to return to the starting position once his calf allows it, and Pittsburgh’s two consecutive losses certainly muddle the quarterback situation quite a bit. 

Mike Tomlin relegates Russell Wilson to second-team duties

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said during his press conference on Tuesday that Wilson would practice with the second team “as not to disrupt Justin's preparation,” Albert Breer of The MMQB reported.

Tomlin called Wilson’s return to practice “a door that’s ajar,” but stopped short of declaring Wilson would supplant Fields as the Steelers’ starting quarterback for their Week 6 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Until Russ gets to a point where we’re comfortable with what we’re looking at, he’s able to execute the offense and schematics, he’s able to put together back-to-back consecutive days and so forth, I just think that’s a hypothetical conversation,” Tomlin said. “We’re going to continue to push forward with Justin until those things are legitimate and then we’ll make those decisions accordingly.”

Fields has led the Steelers to a 3-2 record through Week 5, tying them for first place in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens. The former first-round quarterback has experienced a resurgence in Pittsburgh, albeit a modest one.

Wilson has completed 92 of 136 pass attempts for 961 yards and five passing touchdowns. On the ground, he’s added 172 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries.

After recording 30 interceptions over the past three seasons, Fields has done a much better job of reeling in his unruly throws. While the dynamic quarterback has only thrown one interception so far, he has continued to be plagued by fumbling issues. After averaging 12.6 fumbles per season in Chicago, Fields’ five fumbles this season put him on pace for a career-high 17 fumbles.

After Pittsburgh dropped back-to-back games against the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys, Fields will have an opportunity to hold onto his job against three reeling teams. After facing the Raiders, the Steelers will have two layups at home against the New York Jets and New York Giants. If Fields struggles through those games, a quarterback change during the team’s Week 9 bye wouldn’t be out of the question.