Steelers Still Undecided on Starting QB

The Pittsburgh Steelers held back from naming a starter after their final preseason game.

Aug 24, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws a pass against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports / Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers will drag out their decision-making process a little while longer as they close in on naming their starting quarterback.

Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that the Steelers have tentatively set the end of the upcoming week as their deadline for declaring a winner between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

"We'll make a decision at the end of our work week," Tomlin said. "We've got three days of Steelers versus Steelers work, and why not do it then? It kind of minimizes the Steelers versus Steelers work when we start making decisions prior to the completion of that."

Both players led touchdown-scoring drives in their first possessions of the game in Saturday's loss to the Detroit Lions, perhaps complicating the team's conclusion on the matter.

Wilson, working with the first-team offense, engineered a 60-yard series that included a 32-yard connection with George Pickens and culminated in a Cordarrelle Patterson 31-yard rushing score. He completed both of his passing attempts for a total of 26 yards in his only drive of the day.

Fields found MyCole Pruitt for a 22-yard reception deep in the red zone on his opening possession, leading to a La'Mical Perine rushing touchdown. He played two more series afterwards, though the Steelers didn't score on either occasion while the 25-year-old finished with 40 passing yards and a fumble on an errant snap.

The Steelers couldn't find the end zone against the Buffalo Bills last week despite the fact that Wilson and Fields played the entirety of that contest, so their collective success against the Lions was a welcome development.

As of right now, it feels like a formality that Wilson will be named the starter. He went 8-for-10 in his Steelers debut against Buffalo and was signed this offseason with the intention of him fulfilling that role. His calf injury at the beginning of training camp complicated the situation, but the veteran offers a high floor and plenty of experience as he enters his 13th season in the league.

Fields fits Arthur Smith's offense to a tee, and that showed time and time again on Saturday. From read-options to run-pass options and a healthy dose of play-action, the Steelers have made it a point to highlight his innate ability to extend plays and make things happen with his legs.

The issue, however, is that Fields remains raw as a passer and still needs time to fully hone his skills in that area of the game. The organization clearly believes in his upside, as they should, but having him sit behind Wilson for a year while he continues to develop may be the best outcome for all parties involved.

With that said, the Steelers can take solace in the fact that they have two quality options to choose from at the quarterback position. Both Wilson and Fields are capable of sufficiently leading the offense whenever they're called upon, leaving the unit in a good place entering the season.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more.

• Steelers Rookie Leaves Game With Injury
• Steelers Starters Shine Despite Loss to Lions
• Watch: Cordarrelle Patterson Scores First Touchdown With Steelers
• Bengals Cut Former Steelers WR
• Five Steelers on Verge of Making Roster