Ever since the season started, Mike Tomlin has been uncertain about his starting quarterback. Initially, he didn’t reveal who it would be, but after much deliberation, he named Russell Wilson. Unfortunately, the veteran re-aggravated a calf injury. The team then decided to proceed with Justin Fields, who performed admirably, leading the team to 4 wins and 2 losses in 6 games. Meanwhile, Wilson has recovered and is now fit to play, reopening the debate for the Steelers‘ starting quarterback.
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Well, Tomlin might not go with the new ways at the stage of the season. More chances are of Wilson making a comeback in the week 7 game against the Jets. Fields, who joined the Steelers as a backup, has performed well this season. In 6 games, he completed 106 of 160 passes for 1,106 passing yards, 5 passing touchdowns, and also scored 5 rushing touchdowns. Kyle Allen has yet to start a game this season.
The coach might be thinking of reserving him for the next season and going ahead with the veteran this season. The age gap between them is almost a decade or more. Also, Russell Wilson has only a one-year contract with the Steelers. This might become a crucial factor when the negotiations will be discussed in the 2025 off-season.
Though the team has 3 QBs, only two—Wilson and Fields—are serious contenders for the starting job. But there’s an interesting historical context to the situation, as mentioned by the analyst.
Golden Jubilee of Steelers’ first Super Bowl win
The Week 7 game is notable for another reason: it marks the 50th anniversary of the Steelers’ first Super Bowl win. In 1974, they defeated the Vikings 16-6. To celebrate this milestone, the team will wear the 1974 uniform during the Sunday Night Football game.
Now comes the interesting part. In 1973, the team started playing with 3 quarterbacks–Terry Bradshaw, Joe Gilliam, and Terry Hanratty. That season, Bradshaw started 9 games, Gilliam had 1 start, and Hanratty started 4 games. In 1974, Bradshaw started 7 games, Gilliam started 6, and Hanratty started 1.
Mike Tomlin must have gone through these types of drills already. He knows the locker room dynamics. However, after 6 games, the Steeler Nation is divided over the choice of quarterbacks to go ahead with. However, one thing is clear: the team may need to experiment with different combinations if they hope to replicate past successes.