PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers named their starting quarterback, and are heading into the 2024 season behind Russell Wilson and a new offense. But after a long summer of debating whether they should choose Wilson or Justin Fields, many are skeptical the Steelers made the right call.
Former NFL offensive lineman and current analyst Mark Schlereth is one of those who believe the Steelers will regret their decision. And not only will they change what they’ve done, but he predicts that they’ll do it before the midway point in the season.
“I’m gonna say five,” Schlereth said on his podcast Stinkin’ Truth, talking about how long Wilson remains the starter. “I just think that the way the Pittsburgh Steelers are gonna have to be built, what they’re gonna have to build themselves on is the running game and using the quarterback element in the run game.”
Wilson was the pole position starter throughout the summer, and even after missing most of training camp with a calf injury, he remained the team’s QB1 after his return.
Schlereth believes the Steelers could actually find the playoffs behind Wilson, but that’s not his issue with him. Instead, he’s focused on the things Wilson can no longer do, that he believes the quarterback won’t admit. And because of this fault, Wilson hurts the offenses he belongs to.
“Do I think they may be able to compete for a playoff spot? Yeah, but the issue is, and this is what got Russ out of Seattle and Denver, Russ isn’t willing to admit he’s not good at stuff,” Schlereth said. “He’s delusional. If you’re not willing to admit it, then you can’t fix it.”
The Steelers believe they have a guy in Wilson and view his experience and professionalism as something they need to get over the hump. But, until Week 6, we won’t know who turned out to be correct in this circumstance.