The Pittsburgh Steelers are expecting to start Justin Fields at quarterback against the Denver Broncos with Russell Wilson questionable for Sunday’s road game against his former team.
Wilson had the same status last week because of a calf injury and was inactive for the season-opening road victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
“Regarding Russell’s availability, I’m going to list him as questionable, and so obviously if his availability is questionable, then starting is less so,” Steelers coach Tomlin said Friday. “But we’ve been in that mindset all week, man. Like I’ve said, we’ve been focused on getting Justin ready to play and we’ll continue in that mindset as we push forward toward game time.”
Fields, 25, completed 73.9 percent of his passes (17 of 23) and did not commit a turnover to lead the Steelers to an 18-10 win in Week 1. Fields, a 2021 first-round draft pick whom the Steelers acquired in a March trade with the Chicago Bears, also had 57 yards on 14 carries.
Pittsburgh signed Wilson, 35, as a free agent in March after the Broncos released him despite a salary cap hit of more than $80 million over the next two seasons.
A nine-time Pro Bowl selection in 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson played 30 games (all starts) for Denver. He was announced as the Steelers’ starter but sustained a calf injury in training camp and aggravated it in practice before the season opener.
“I feel like I’m getting closer and closer,” Wilson, a limited practice participant this week, said on Thursday. “I’m just trying to be smart and got to do a lot of work today on the field and everything else, throwing and all that, so just trying to be smart.”
–Field Level Media