The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season marked the second straight defeat for Mike Tomlin‘s team, which is now back in the spotlight due to the quarterback competition between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
The Steelers head coach spoke at a press conference and confirmed the status of Wilson, who was unable to make his first start of the season due to a calf injury. The former Denver Broncos player appears to be healed and is putting pressure on Tomlin to decide whether or not he will play in place of Fields, the quarterback who has started every game so far in the 2024 NFL season.
“Again, like I said, until Russ (Wilson) gets to a point where we’re comfortable with what we’re seeing -that he’s able to run all the schemes, that he’s able to get the defense in order on consecutive days and so forth- I think his ownership is a hypothetical conversation. We’re going to move forward with Justin (Fields) until those things are legitimate, and then we’ll make decisions accordingly,” Tomlin said, breaking his silence on the role battle between the two players.
The truth is, despite the coach’s caution, the situation has changed. Wilson will be a full participant in Wednesday’s practice with the Steelers for the first time. “We’re in a little bit of a different situation this week. We’ll see where that takes us”, said Tomlin.
“We’ll see if he’s able to make it and get through the session. If he does, we’ll evaluate the quality of his work. He’ll have reps with the second unit so as not to disrupt Justin’s preparation and then we’ll see where it all takes us as we go through the week,” Tomlin concluded.
What’s next for the Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers?
After a two-game losing streak, Tomlin’s Steelers will face the Las Vegas Raiders in a game that includes the spice of being against the team of wide receiver Davante Adams, a figure who requested a trade and is wanted by the Pittsburgh franchise. The game will be played next Sunday afternoon, October 13, at Allegiant Stadium.