Unbothered With ‘Fairness’, Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Chooses Russell Wilson Over Justin Fields Despite the 25yo’s Athleticism

Russell Wilson sustained a calf injury during training but it appears to be no big deal for Mike Tomlin. In fact, he still thinks that Wilson is in the “pole position” over Justin Fields. Steel City fans got a jump scare from the small injury, but that doesn’t affect the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ plans for the quarterbacks. That’s because Mike Tomlin is sold on Russell Wilson’s SB-winning resume in all scenarios.

The Steelers head honcho went on Up & Adams with Kay Adams show and revealed his plans for the future. If you think that the Steelers will solely rely on Russell Wilson, you’d be wrong. The team appears to have a detailed plan to use both the QBs to the best of their abilities. With Justin Fields’ athleticism in the limelight along with Wilson’s experience, the team appears to be on the right track, giving a slight edge to the senior position holder.

“You know, I think I’ve been pretty consistent in my position there. I’ve characterized it as pole position for Russell, and the reason I have is certainly they’re competing, but I don’t overly concern ourselves with being fair,” said Mike Tomlin.

He further added, “There’s no such thing as 50-50, and so we just pay respect to the totality of his (Russell) resume and his experience. We lean on it. We allow him to lead the group informally in terms of some of the things that he’s done to produce the type of career he has, his growth opportunity for Justin in that.”

It makes sense to use Russell Wilson to the fullest because of the numbers the QB has put together in his career. In 188 games played, Wilson has an astonishing number of 3668 completions in 5665 attempts with a staggering 64.7 completion rate. His total yardage also stands at an impressive 43,653, having edged him to 334 TDs.

However, amidst all the praises for the QB, Tomlin also implied that Fields will someday be Russell Wilson’s successor. In fact, it’s already happening as we speak. Fields is taking first-team reps in Wilson’s absence due to his slight injury and has impressed the HC already. To that end, Tomlin confirmed that Fields and Wilson will get a chance to prove themselves in the pre-season games as well.

While the Steel City fans will get to voice out their opinion like in the Mitch Trubisky replacement of Kenny Pickett last year, the management would hope for both the QBs to receive a warm welcome. If Wilson ends up not favored by the spectators, the Steelers will still have the “athletic” guy on the roster to replace him.

Surprised Mike Tomlin finds gold in Justin Fields!

While Justin Fields might not have a single designated role in the side, his athletic abilities have put him in great limelight. The QB is garnering all the attention from his HC and other members due to his skills and techniques on the gridiron.

“I love his professionalism, his consistent approach to work, he’s got an even-keel demeanor that’s good for leadership,” Tomlin told Rhett Lewis. “And I’ve been surprised by his athleticism to be quite honest with you. I’ve seen video, obviously, but to see it up close and personal every day, he’s a special athlete, man. He can do a lot.”

A great example of his athleticism could be recalled from Fields’ rookie year. The Bears-Steelers game in 2021 was all Mike Tomlin wanted to see from Justin Fields. He lit the infamous Steelers defense with 291 passing yards and 45 rushing yards. While he only threw one touchdown in that game, the QB has improved a significant lot since then, only needing major focus on his passing game.

Per sources, Arthur Smith is already working on devising specific packages for Justin Fields to be used in the red zone. Sources further suggest that Fields might get a run-heavy package due to his athleticism, but only time will tell how things turn out to be for the QB duo of the Pittsburgh team.