The Pittsburgh Steelers will start with Justin Fields in their first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons since the team deactivated Russell Wilson.
Wilson will enter the game as the third emergency quarterback. He was dealing with a calf strain, the same calf he injured earlier in training camp that kept him out for some time.
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August 24, 2024; Detroit, Michigan. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) looks at the scoreboard while sitting on the bench in the third quarter of the Steelers’ preseason game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. (Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports)
Both Fields and Wilson were signed in the offseason. Wilson seemed to have the best chance of becoming the starter after the Steelers signed him as a free agent. The team also acquired Fields from the Chicago Bears, who were looking to draft Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick.
“His athleticism is uncanny,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said via the team’s website. “I’ve seen the highlights and things like that, but as an AFC coach, you don’t always get a chance to feel that or really pay attention to it.”
“It’s really exciting to see what he can do on the football field.”
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) is ready to face the Detroit Lions during the first half of a preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, August 24, 2024. (Junfu Han/USA Today Network)
Fields was selected No. 11 overall in the 2021 draft. In 40 games for the Bears, he had 6,674 passing yards, 40 touchdown passes, and 30 interceptions. Chicago was no longer keen on Fields, as his inconsistent play was too much to consider him a long-term starter.
Wilson’s time with the Denver Broncos also ended abruptly. Before the end of the season, he was removed as starting quarterback and released when the team could not find a deal for him.
August 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) attempts a pass against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. (Charles LeClaire-USA Today Sports)
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Pittsburgh barely made the playoffs last season thanks to its nasty defense. The team went 10-7 and lost in the AFC Wild Card round.
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