Russell Wilson Named Starter, Tomlin Keeps Options Open

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00:00Let's start with Pittsburgh because Mike Tomlin could have very easily put this to rest and

00:08say that, you know, Russell Wilson is the starting quarterback.

00:11And the fact that he hasn't done it tells you just how close this is.

00:15I mean, to me, that's the story here is that we're probably going to hear, I'm going to

00:18guess Jacob tomorrow or today that, that Russell's named the starter and he goes into the season

00:24as the starter, but make no mistake about it.

00:27I think Jacob Justin Fields is going to play this year.

00:30And I think the leash on Russ is probably as short as any quarterback in the NFL.

00:37I agree with you there.

00:38I think Russell Wilson will probably be named the starter.

00:41Mike Tomlin has been adamant throughout this whole process that his plan was always to

00:46start Russell Wilson after signing him in free agency to that minimum contract.

00:51The plan was we're going to start Russell Wilson this year.

00:53I thought trading for Justin Fields to back him up was a smart move because now you have

00:58two quarterbacks who, if they can one live up to his potential and the other regain the

01:03form he wants showed as a super bowl winning quarterback, you figure one of those guys

01:08might pan out.

01:09And if not, you have to draft someone to replace them.

01:11But I thought both were good gambles, but the Steelers offense in the preseason really

01:15was not very good until that last game where both of them kind of had their flashes.

01:21I think the telling thing is Russell Wilson played one series in that finale against Detroit.

01:26He completed two passes, both George Pickens on a touchdown drive, came out of the game.

01:31After that, Justin Fields played three drives, led one touchdown drive, but had a botched

01:36snap at one point.

01:38So I think Mike Tomlin is going to look at, hey, Russell Wilson led that clean drive.

01:42I think that separates him enough to give him the starting job.

01:45But I think you're right that the leash is going to be pretty short.

01:49If Russell Wilson doesn't look good, Steelers fans pretty quickly are going to be calling

01:53for Justin Fields because of his scrambling ability.