“I don’t make excuses for failure. I own it,” says Mike Tomlin. The 2024 Steelers were 10-7 and atop the AFC North. They were hot early and won three straight, but then got messed up late and dropped four straight to finish the season with a 28-14 Wild Card loss to the Ravens. Quarterback drama kept things interesting. Russell Wilson who’d come in to replace his older coach suffered an injury on early possession, and he let Justin Fields get a crack. Fields was 4-2 as a starter, causing questions over the future of the franchise QB. Both QBs combined for more than 4,000 yards and 25 TDs. Steelers defense kept up the pressure with 45 sacks and 15 picks to remain one of the best in the league.

While everyone else was talking numbers and records, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was the one man who stood up for himself in a sea of controversy. On rumors of a rift between Wilson and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith, Tomlin added, “Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson had a good working relationship. Yeet.” The line, brief and somewhat ironic, signaled Tomlin’s intent to stomp out rumors and refocus the story on unity and forward motion.

When Tomlin re-instated Wilson as the starter, even after Fields made it, he was showing his loyalty to veteran leadership. Wilson’s return was 6-1 and showed Tomlin’s foresight. Wilson threw for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns, and a 95.6 passer rating. Fields in his time there threw for 1,106 yards, 5 touchdowns,s, and a 93.3 passer rating.

The Steelers need Tomlin’s word as they move forward in the offseason. With both quarterbacks ready to return, and Smith’s status not yet clear, the organization has choices to make. What the team does with its coaching staff and roster demands will determine the 2025 season.

The Wilson-Smith Case: Bad brews in the steel city

On the inside, whispers swirled of Russell Wilson and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith being in good company. Both were spotted working together on late-night films and exchanging banter, but insiders painted a different picture. “Despite Wilson and Smith spending countless hours together after the typical workday watching film and publicly joking about it, a team source recently said that Wilson and Smith did not have a very good working relationship but fought through their differences as best they could.”

It reportedly was over Smith’s reported interest in Justin Fields over Wilson. These assertions never turned out to be true, but they did fuel fears of internal struggle. Smith, a gifted offensive strategist, never produced in 2024. This meant that his friendship (or rift with Wilson) could have held back the potential of the crime.

A fuel in the fire, Smith quipped in the season. His wife used to jibe that he’d FaceTime him in the middle of the night, only to find him doing something odd instead of with Wilson. This joke – which had previously been taken as a gesture of friendship – is now a joke about the reported friction. “It’s unknown whether or not that relationship will weigh in on the decision moving forward from either side.” Kaboly went on to say. When the Steelers look at their coaching staff and quarterback, Wilson-Smith will come into it. The Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields combined for 4,006+ yards passing and 25 touchdowns, each playing to his strengths.

The 11-game starter had 2,482 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and a 95.6 passer rating, veteran precision. Fields, who started six games when Wilson injured his knee, not only scored 1,106 passing yards, five scores, and a 93.3 passer rating but showed off his versatility with 289 rushing yards and five scoring rushing scores. Wilson had 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and he is all about the big play. That even keel showed how solid the Steelers quarterback group was, and helped them go 10-7. When the team is thinking ahead, their versatility and the play of their QBs make for great offseason moves and keep fans hopeful.