The Pittsburgh Steelers have made their decision about who will start their season-opening game against the Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback Justin Fields will take the field for Pittsburgh over Russell Wilson as Wilson has been dealing with an injury.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter was one of the first to report the news on social media.
Russell Wilson officially is inactive today; Justin Fields starts vs. the Falcons.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 8, 2024
Fields will be tasked with trying to get the Steelers a win to open the season. All offseason, Wilson was expected to be the starter but Pittsburgh wants to be cautious with the veteran’s injury.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 6: Russell Wilson #3 looks on alongside Justin Fields #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the Pittsburgh Steelers OTA offseason workout at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 6 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Fields will start against the Falcons.
Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Wilson signed on with the Steelers this offseason after being let go by the Denver Broncos. He was happy to just get another chance in the NFL and showed his appreciation to Pittsburgh.
“What a great moment it is and being locked into that and having a heart of gratitude every day. This game is such a blessing every time you get to do it. I’m just excited to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Wilson said last week. “Obviously, I came here to help us win. That’s the focus. The best part is how hard we’ve all worked every day all the way from OTAs to Latrobe. Obviously, we’ve got a great season ahead of us.”
The former Super Bowl winner hasn’t played well the last few seasons and it has tarnished his reputation around the NFL. Coming to the Steelers was a chance for him to reclaim his spot among the top signal-callers in the league. But that will be on hold at least for another week.
Despite not starting, Wilson said earlier this week that he would do whatever he could to help the team win.
“If I can go, I’m going to go and try to do everything I can to help us win,” Wilson said. “If not, I’m going to do everything I can to help us win in that way, too.
This will be a chance for Fields to show what he can do. The former Ohio State product was traded to the Steelers this offseason to make room for No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams to be taken by the Chicago Bears in the draft.
If Fields can perform well, he may not have to give the job back to Wilson. He can become the new face of the Steelers so his performance against Atlanta will be crucial in how the rest of the season plays out for the former first-round pick.
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