“If you have two quarterbacks, you actually have none!” John Madden’s words, not ours. And the Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be in a similar predicament. The QB1 situation is heating like a fourth-quarter Hail Mary and it’s not looking good for Steel City. Russell Wilson or Justin Fields? With the regular season kickoff less than a month away, there’s no clarity. While the Steelers aren’t much concerned about the situation yet, this ex-NFL WR explains why HC Mike Tomlin must make a decision pronto.

Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, on the morning of August 5th, Andrew Hawkins broke down the problems that could come with the ‘battle’ for quarterbacks in the Pittsburgh locker room. “Another situation,” he said, “is players will choose sides. It will divide the locker room.” Hawkins’s perspective was that grouping and favoritism might start. It would no longer be Russ or Justin, rather it would become ‘Team Wilson’ vs ‘Team Fields’. And let’s be honest, no one wants that. Not even the QBs. As much as competition is good and coaches promote it, this one will not boost the team’s chemistry and morale. Rather, it will create a drift in the locker room.

Well, coming to another situation that the 38-year-old former Patriots’ receiver addressed; he put himself in the scenario. “As a wide receiver, my game is tailored to who my quarterback is,” he said. Further adding that it would become annoying if it were the other way round, “Having to teeter the way I’m [as a WR] going about my business based on who’s at the quarterback position throughout the game.” His reasoning?

He put an analogy up front for better understanding. According to Andrew, imagine going to a salon for a haircut only to find a different barber every single time. It doesn’t sit well, right? That’s what he wanted to convey. However, that was not all!

Hawkins believes that at the NFL level, a team might lose the importance of the rhythm that a QB can dictate with his passive intel throughout the game if there are two quarterbacks. Aiming his shots indirectly at Mike, he said, “The only reason to consider it is because you [HC] have two quarterbacks you don’t feel great about.”

Good talk, but Coach Tomlin is closely watching this QB duel. That said, he might have a clear pick. Let’s understand how he views the competition between veteran Russell Wilson and 25-year-old Justin Fields.

Justin Fields has the opportunity to learn from Russell Wilson, per Coach Tomlin

Russell Wilson blitzed into the QB1 race, taking the lead, with head coach Mike Tomlin declaring he “has pole position” back in March. But he also added that Pittsburgh is not “resistant to competition,” and so Justin Fields could show his skills at training camp. Fast forward to the camp, Russ’ calf injury has pulled the 25-year-old right back into it. Per NBC Sports’ Josh Alper, Wilson’s yet to complete a full practice.  Hence why, this has left the Steelers in a conundrum: Who’s going to be the play-caller in Arthur Smith’s offense?

Appearing on the Up and Adams Show, on the 3rd of August, Tomlin addressed the chatter around his QBs. “I’ve characterized it as the pole position for Russell,” He acknowledged his past comments and continued, “The reason I have is, certainly they are competing. But I don’t overly concern ourselves with being fair. There’s no such thing as 50/50. We just pay respect to the totality of his resume and experience.” The coach further added that the team leans on the seasoned vet, allowing Russ to “informally” take the lead at times. And why not?

Russ has had a career spanning over a decade. He will be entering his 13th season in 2024, so with that comes a wealth of experience. And the coach knows it. He echoed the same sentiment when he said that Justin has a great opportunity to work alongside “somebody at his position who has done it longer and done it at a higher level.” These stats are enough to reel into it:

When Wilson joined the Steelers after a rough patch with the Broncos, he was supposed to be a mentor to Justin. The plan? Start, win, and avoid the bench. Just like what the NFL Insider Mark Kaboly said on the Pat McAfee Show: With Russell Wilson’s return, Fields would be doing 2nd team reps in no time. In short, Wilson’s set to be the starter, not just a sideline cheerleader.

Coach Tomlin, meanwhile, kept things ambiguous, saying, “Rest assured, both guys are going to be given an opportunity to show their skills over the course of the next month. And I’m excited about watching them sort themselves out.” Looks like the QB saga is far from over—Steelers fans, buckle up!

The weather in Pittsburgh is rising. While the ‘divide’ Hawkins mentioned isn’t visible within the Steelers’ walls (as of now), it’s definitely brewing outside them. Not a divide, per se, as the majority still tout Russ to take charge, but there’s still a question that remains. With Wilson and Fields both vying for the spotlight, who do you think will emerge as the Steelers’ starting QB? Let us know!