Report: When Russell Wilson signed, he was not guaranteed a starting spot.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will have Russell Wilson ahead of Justin Fields, but why? Mike Tomlin explains the rationale.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new quarterback room, with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields replacing Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph. Wilson was expected to start or hold the lead in the contest, according to reports immediately after the deal. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged this at the NFL owners’ meetings on Sunday.
However, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN, the Steelers never assured Wilson that he would start before he signed, and he never asked for any, either.
“Wilson didn’t ask for assurances about a starting job, according to a source familiar with the conversations, and the Steelers didn’t give any.
“He’s competed all of his life,” the source said. “He’s not afraid of it,” Pryor wrote.
But, of course publicly, Wilson does have the pole position in the quarterback competition, as Tomlin put it. And why does Wilson hold that position? Tomlin explained the rationale behind that decision.
“We’ve been very transparent about the pecking order, at least to start,” he remarked. “I simply believe that provides clarity for all parties involved. Russell is a veteran, guy. He has a proven preparedness process in place. He’s been in the league a long time, and he’s capable of rallying troops, receivers, tight ends, and running backs; he simply has a lot of knowledge with what it takes over a 12-month period. I just believe that is something that a younger guy like Justin can learn from, and it provides clarity for all parties involved as they engage in some of the more informal activities at this time of year.
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