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Steelers QB to face Broncos again

Vaseline September 16, 2024

One of the most anticipated revenge games of the 2024 NFL season is canceled.

When the league’s regular-season roster was released in May, many circled around the Week 2 showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos. The game would mark the return of Russell Wilson to face Sean Payton just six months after he was unceremoniously released to end a rocky two-year run with the franchise.

But after missing the Steelers’ season opener with a calf injury, Wilson will again be out for Sunday’s highly anticipated game.

Here’s what we know about Wilson’s status and the Steelers’ plans for the quarterback position:

Russell Wilson Injury Updates: Latest News On QB’s Outlook

Wilson will once again assume the role of the team’s emergency quarterback, just as he did in the season opener.

On Tuesday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin revealed that his team was preparing as if Justin Fields would start against the Broncos. Tomlin left the door open for Wilson to play on Friday by listing him as questionable. But his explanation of the designation reinforced that Fields is the best option to take the reins.

“So, if his availability is in question, then starting is less of a question,” Tomlin told reporters. “But we’ve been in that mindset all week. Like I said, we’ve been focused on getting Justin (Fields) ready to play, and we’ll continue to be in that mindset as we head into game time.”

Wilson remained optimistic this week, saying he could soon make the squad.

“I feel like I’m getting closer and closer,” Wilson said Thursday, according to ESPN. “I’m just trying to be smart and I did a lot of work on the field today and everything else, throwing and stuff like that, so just trying to be smart.”

Wilson served as emergency quarterback during the Steelers’ win over the Falcons and could return to that role if he’s not fully ready to play.

Fields completed 17 of 23 passes for 153 yards against Atlanta, but Pittsburgh had to settle for six field goals in the 18-10 victory.

Russell Wilson’s Broncos Split Revisited

Wilson was released by Denver in March, just days before his $37 million salary for 2025 was set to become fully guaranteed. His $39 million salary for this season was already committed.

Replacing Wilson cost the Broncos a record $85 million in losses.

Wilson joined the franchise to much fanfare in March 2022 after being traded by the Seattle Seahawks for three players and a package of picks that included two first-round picks and two second-round picks. But his rookie season proved to be disastrous from the start, with the nine-time Pro Bowl selection posting a career-worst 84.4 passer rating and first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett being fired in December after a 4-11 mark.

Payton took over the following season and criticized the previous regime’s handling of the veteran quarterback. As Wilson’s play recovered, Payton benched him for the final two weeks of the season. The coach maintained that the decision was strictly based on football considerations, though news later emerged that the team approached Wilson during a midseason bye about restructuring his contract and delaying the date when his 2025 injury guarantee would become fully guaranteed.