Overcoming an injury as a starting quarterback is no easy feat, especially when it comes at the height of a team transition, and especially when it happens before the start of the season. That’s what Russell Wilson of the Pittsburgh Steelers had to deal with in the 2024 NFL season.
On July 24, Wilson had injured his calf pushing the preseason training sled with head coach Mike Tomlin’s Steelers, a key player in this story. In early September, the injury worsened and the quarterback missed the first six weeks of the season, until Tomlin decided to have him resume the starting role after a full recovery.
“Unfortunately, I had that calf injury, which was devastating. I’ve played almost 200 games and I never really missed much over these years. That was hard for me, challenging. The most important thing was to focus on getting healthy again, I wanna play past 40 years old and be as great as I possibly can be”, said Wilson via The Rich Eisen Show, breaking his silence on his latest injury and his future as a pro.
Wilson confessed that he wants to play for many more years, which is even a wake-up call for the Steelers, that should renew his contract if they are aligned with the desire of the quarterback, who after recovering returned to play in the NFL Week 7 victory over the New York Jets, making his debut with his new team.
Russell Wilson #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws the ball during the first quarter against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Wilson’s role as Steelers group leader
The Steelers quarterback admitted it was not easy to maintain his role as team leader when he was injured amid rumors that he would not be a starter again. “It was not easy to lead when everything was dark. It was a blessing in disguise to be able to not look inward, but really focus on others and support my teammates by giving them advice,” said Wilson.
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NFL News: Giants key player sends strong warning to Steelers' Russell Wilson ahead of MNF
Wilson will be the starting quarterback in the Steelers
Mike Tomlin reconfirmed that Wilson will be the Steelers’ starting quarterback when they face the Dallas Cowboys next Monday night in NFL Week 8. In his comeback, the former Denver Broncos player completed 16 of 27 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns.
