The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new quarterback in Russell Wilson, who finds himself in a significantly better situation than what he experienced with the Denver Broncos. In his first season with the Broncos, Wilson played under Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett. Despite signing a five-year, $242 million deal and facing high expectations, Wilson’s first year saw him win just four games, throwing 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Broncos fans hoped Wilson’s poor season-long performance was a fluke. In an effort to turn things around, the Broncos hired Sean Payton, widely regarded as an offensive genius. Wilson’s performance improved under Payton, as he threw for 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Despite this progress, the Broncos only won seven games and remained a mediocre team.
Ultimately, Payton made Wilson the scapegoat, expressing such dissatisfaction with his play that he was willing to pay millions to keep Wilson off the team. This offseason, Wilson joined the Steelers on a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum.
Now playing for Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith and Head Coach Mike Tomlin, Wilson is thrilled about the opportunity. Wilson joined the Movin’ the Chains show on Friday to state how he looks forward to working with Smith and starting fresh, hoping for a successful season with the Steelers.
“I think he teaches in such a great way,” Wilson said. “His ability to break down the film, the one-on-one time we spend together, makes a huge difference. Just his knowledge of the game.”
Wilson hasn’t spent much time with Smith yet, but he has enjoyed their collaboration so far. Smith first gained recognition as an outstanding offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans. His success with the Titans led to an opportunity to become the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
However, Smith faced challenges in Atlanta, winning only seven games each season for three consecutive years, resulting in a 21-30 record over his tenure. Like Wilson, Smith has endured significant adversity in recent seasons, and both are eager to turn the page and find success with the Steelers.
“Obviously, he’s been a head coach. He’s been through the fire, too. Sometimes, you get molded in that way,” Wilson said. “I love his edge that he has, play-calling. He’s got a tenacity to him that I love, and that’s what you want in a play-caller. And I just love how he teaches. I think that’s the thing about being a great coach; you’ve got to be a great teacher.”
The pressure is on for both Wilson and Smith to rejuvenate the Steelers’ offense. In the 2023 season, Pittsburgh’s offense was historically poor, with the two primary issues being the quarterback position and the offensive coordinator. This offseason, the team made significant upgrades in both areas, fueling optimism for a much-improved performance in the 2024 season.
Steelers’ Russell Wilson Getting Closer To Full Health
As the Steelers kicked off training camp, fans are getting early glimpses of what the offense might look like under Smith’s direction. Wilson started camp missing practices due to a sore calf but has since returned, albeit in a limited capacity. He stated that he’s close to full health and eager to win the starting job. Meanwhile, Justin Fields has taken most of the reps in Wilson’s absence and has impressed pundits with his performance.
Although Wilson is likely to be named the Week 1 starter, Fields has a real opportunity to compete for the job. The quarterback battle is heating up in Pittsburgh, with some believing that Fields might be better suited for Smith’s offense. However, Wilson’s experience and proven track record make him a strong contender to lead the team. It will be interesting to see how this competition unfolds as the season approaches.
