Within a month, Russell Wilson went from being the future quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers — at least until he decides to retire — to potentially having just one season in the Steel City.
He also showed the Steelers why the Denver Broncos were so fed up with him that they ate the largest dead cap hit in NFL history. He fooled us all into thinking Sean Payton was the problem. But it turns out the Broncos had the last laugh.
Because Wilson has the Steelers offense spiraling out of control and on the brink of a first-round playoff exit. In fact, one national reporter said this playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens this weekend could determine his future in Pittsburgh.
And he’s not wrong. Because Wilson shouldn’t be rewarded with another contract by the Steelers if he doesn’t go on a playoff run.
Russell Wilson isn’t just playing for a playoff win this weekend, but his future in Pittsburgh as well
Just before the battle of Pennsylvania, Wilson was 6-1 as a starter and the Steelers had jumped to a 10-3 record on the season. Wilson looked like he had found enough left to still be relevant in the NFL and the Steelers were fighting for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
For a moment, they looked unbeatable. Then they lost to Philadelphia. Then the Ravens. That led to four-straight losses. They went from contending for the top of the conference to having a road playoff game in the first round.
And it’s the offense to blame. During the losing streak, they haven’t scored more than 17 points. Wilson has looked abysmal as well. He hasn’t thrown for 250 yards either during that stretch. For context, in his first six starts this year, he threw for 250 in four of those games.
Wilson has to prove the Steelers made the right decision to bring him in. Obviously it was a low cost move that didn’t necessarily have to result in immediate success. But when he picked up where Justin Fields left off and led the Steelers to a 10-3 start, all of that went out the door.
Now it seems the Steelers have more reason to commit to Fields moving forward than Wilson. The Steelers can’t lose to the Ravens, even if they are the road team against a division rival.