Russell Wilson will not have immediate competition for the starting job in Pittsburgh after Justin Fields ‘was told he will be the Steelers’ backup to start the season’.
Pittsburgh has acquired two high-profile quarterbacks this week, signing Wilson after he was cut by the Denver Broncos and then Fields from Chicago in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick.
Fields’ move raised questions about whether there would be a battle for the starting job in Pittsburgh, but new reports claim Wilson will be uncontested to begin the new season.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote on the X that the Steelers have ‘told Fields he’s coming in to be Wilson’s backup’.
Given the ages of the two players, that could change over time, with Fields just 25 and Wilson 35 and entering the twilight years of his career.
Russell Wilson addresses the media for the first time since being traded to Pittsburgh
Hours later, it was announced that he will be joined on the Steelers roster by Justin Fields
However, it could be make or break for both players in 2024, with both enduring tough seasons for the Broncos and Bears, respectively.
Wilson was traded to Denver in what turned out to be one of the most misunderstood moves in NFL history, with the Broncos signing him to a five-year, $242.6 million deal.
They went 11-19 with him as the starting quarterback and missed the playoffs in both seasons.
Also, his time in the white and orange ended when he was benched by head coach Sean Payton with two games left in 2023.
Wilson signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh after being cut by the Broncos after two years
Fields was drafted 11th overall by the Bears, but struggled in his three seasons in Chicago
Fields, meanwhile, was widely viewed as useless after the Bears landed the top pick in next month’s NFL Draft, where they are expected to take a quarterback.
The return for Fields isn’t much, considering he was taken 11th overall by the Bears just three years ago.
Since then, the athletic Georgia native has thrown 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions while rushing for 14 more scores.
The Bears were 10-28 in games he started and missed the playoffs in 2023.