The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed several new faces to town this offseason, but among those generating the most buzz is former Super Bowl champion quarterback, Russell Wilson. Wilson is now 35 years old and eager to prove he’s still an elite quarterback in the NFL. That hunger and drive has excited Steeler Nation.
Early in the offseason, the Steelers made a decisive move to sign Wilson to a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum. While this news has sparked excitement, some fans can’t shake his struggles over the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos.
However, on Thursday before the draft kicked off, Steelers star defensive lineman Cam Heyward released a new episode of Not Just Football with Cam Heyward. During his show, he detailed his offseason experiences, the new additions to the team, and the upcoming draft. Before discussing the draft, he expressed his excitement about Wilson as a notable new addition.
“First, we’ve got to talk about Russell Wilson, man. It’s really cool to have a guy like that who’s won a Super Bowl, been in another, and has had success around the league. He’s a class act and a guy who just wants to get better. Man, it’s going to be fun.”
Heyward and the other veterans, such as TJ Watt, have displayed abundant excitement and confidence in having Wilson as their quarterback. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers’ offense has struggled, and many are hopeful that Wilson can be the missing piece to the puzzle for the team.
“We were looking for a guy who provides some of that offensive experience. He’s been through the thick and thin. He’s seen the game at the highest level, and we don’t have that many guys who have that experience.”
Heyward’s co-host, Hayden Walsh, brought up Wilson’s dominance over the Steelers in their matchups. Heyward laughed and asked Walsh if he was finished trying to make a joke. However, Walsh pointed out that it must feel good to have Wilson on their team now as their quarterback. Heyward recalled one of the games playing against Wilson when he was the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.
“You done? [Laughs] You done rubbing it in? Bro, like the first time we played him in Seattle, it was a wild game. Martavis Bryant was going off. AB [Antonio Brown] was going off. Everybody was scoring touchdowns. I don’t think the defenses survived that game.”
In two games against the Steelers, Wilson has been exceptional, leading his former team, the Seahawks, to two victories. He threw for 345 yards and five touchdowns in 2015 against Pittsburgh, and in 2019, he passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns. Altogether, he amassed 645 passing yards and eight touchdowns in these two matchups.
Steelers’ QB Room Is Going To Be Exciting To Watch In 2024
Steelers fans are eagerly anticipating Wilson’s tenure as their quarterback, especially since they also have another talented quarterback in Justin Fields, whom they acquired through a trade. Remarkably, they only had to part with a conditional sixth-round pick, which could potentially become a fourth-rounder depending on Fields’ playing time for him. Securing both quarterbacks was an absolute masterclass by Omar Khan.
If Wilson encounters difficulties, some pundits speculate that he may have a short leash. The Steelers’ quarterback situation will undoubtedly be intriguing throughout the season. While Wilson has expressed a desire to stay in Pittsburgh long term, Fields is patiently awaiting his opportunity. Their competition promises to bring out the best in the Steelers’ quarterback room.
