Earlier this offseason, Steelers President Art Rooney II made it clear that they would retain either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, but not both. This directly pits both the QBs against each other as well as their fans. To make matters worse, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported a couple of days ago that Justin Fields has an edge over the veteran in the pecking order but the team will have at least a week to make their decision and for now, they have not ruled out Wilson. However, has it strained the relationship between the veteran QB and the young gun?

Well, the latest update paints a different picture. March 5 was Fields’ 26th birthday and Steelers fans were all over social media wishing their dear QB. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers’ official Instagram account took to their stories to wish him a ‘Happy Birthday’. But did Russell Wilson do the same?

He absolutely did! After all, Russ is that guy—locker room leader, walking motivational speech, and the ultimate hype man. So when Justin Fields’ birthday rolled up, he made sure to show love. He hit up Instagram with a simple but meaningful shoutout—”Happy Bday my brother,” with the song ‘Long Journey’ by Rod Wave playing.

Might seem like a small thing, but it radiated positive teammate energy. Even with both of them battling for the QB1 spot, there is zero bad blood; Just two quarterbacks locked in, pushing each other to be great. But did you know that Wilson had an eye on Fields’ skills even before they were on the same team?

In June 2024, he shared, “I’ve always been a huge Justin fan. I’ve always loved watching his game. We’ve known each other for a while, actually. Even before we came here, and signed here, we were talking to each other in the offseason before all this and rooting for each other. I’ve got a lot of respect for his game and who he is as a player and a teammate. It’s a great thing to be together. We’re just elevating and just trying to be better every day.”

And Fields? He has always looked up to Wilson, seeing him as a leader. They first linked up during the offseason training, and from that moment, the respect was mutual. But now that they have shared a locker room, the bond only got stronger.

Wilson has never been about gatekeeping knowledge or appreciation. When Justin Fields was holding it down for the Steelers in Wilson’s absence, the latter made sure the younger QB got his flowers. “I also want to give credit to Justin… How he got us in this position. What a great player he is,” he gave a shoutout in Oct. 2024.

Then came the big decision—Mike Tomlin named Russell Wilson the starter when he got back from injury. Steelers fans? Yeah, they weren’t feeling it at first. Wilson got booed early on, but in classic Russ fashion, he locked in and shut everyone up with a 37-15 win over the Jets. And even after reclaiming the top spot, he still made sure to hype up Fields. “I got to give Justin Fields credit, all the things he was able to do, how great he’s been playing,” Wilson said.

Top Comment by Tony Wiess

Me, personally, if it were me, and I could make trades – ID THINK JUSTIN, BEING FROM OHIO STATE, AND...more

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He has always believed in lifting people up. “I believe that when you give as much knowledge as I have… it comes back in return for you in the long run,” he said in July 2024. And Justin Fields? He’s locked in, soaking up all the game from Wilson while still proving he is that guy.

Steelers’ QB crossroads: Bet on the future or trust the vet?

The Steelers have a whole QB saga going on, and it’s straight-up NFL drama. With Justin Fields and Russell Wilson both in the mix, reports suggest Pittsburgh is vibing with Fields as their top choice. But hold up—Wilson’s got that vet experience and a ring to back it up. So now, the Steelers gotta make a choice: Roll with the young gun who is still leveling up or ride with the seasoned vet who has been in the trenches.

Fields, 26, is basically the prototype of a modern QB—fast, athletic, and still getting better. He went 4-2 in his six starts for the Steelers last season, throwing for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and just one pick. But he also has that escape artist energy that makes defenses sweat—something Wilson, at this stage in his career, just doesn’t have.

But don’t sleep on Russ. Yeah, he’s 36, but the man’s still got that spark in him. After bouncing back from a calf injury, he took over in Week 7 and instantly cooked, leading the Steelers to a 37-15 dub over the Jets. He threw for 264 yards, and two touchdowns, and reminded everyone he still has the IQ and clutch factor to win games. Sure, he’s not outrunning defenders like he used to, but his ability to read defenses and deliver in pressure moments is something Fields is still working on.

So, what’s the move? Fields is the future—young, mobile, and packed with potential. But he’s still refining his passing game. Meanwhile, Wilson is a walking highlight reel of experience. But he isn’t a long-term solution. The Steelers need to decide if they want to develop Fields into their franchise QB or go all-in on Wilson for a win-now mindset.

And it’s not just Pittsburgh keeping tabs—other teams are lurking. Wilson’s already catching the Giants’ attention, and Fields’ potential has squads wondering if they can mold him into a star. If the Steelers are serious about Fields, they have to go all-in and build around him.

With free agency about to shake things up, the Steelers’ decision is still pending. Are they trusting Fields to be their guy, or are they rolling with Wilson to get Ws right now?