The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of success in the NFL. Part of how they've gotten there is a bit like that old Kenny Rogers song: "They know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em." But the Steelers aren't gamblers as much as calculated risk-takers. If anything, they've probably been accused of keeping staff or players for too long.
They always seem to find overlooked players or players who have lost the magic with their previous team and need a fresh start. The latter is exactly what they are hoping to find in Russell Wilson.
Wilson has spent 12 seasons in the league, 10 with the Seattle Seahawks and two with the Denver Broncos. During most of his time in Seattle, Wilson could do no wrong. He led the Seahawks to two Super Bowls, winning one, before things started to fall apart. Knowing precisely what went wrong is impossible, but he ended up in Denver and was expected to save the franchise from years of mediocrity.
Now, Wilson is being paid a whopping $39 million in guaranteed money to walk away from the Broncos for 2024. He agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Steelers for the veteran minimum of roughly $1.2 million.
But what will happen to Wilson after this season? Gerry Dulac from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently spoke to Steve Jones on The Steve Jones Show, which airs on WKOK 1070 AM, about Wilson and the Steelers' intentions. Dulac told Jones that the Steelers intend to keep both Wilson and Justin Fields after the season ends.
"With Russell Wilson, the idea and the intent, both from Russell Wilson's part and the Steelers' part, is that they will sign him to a longer contract after the season. You know it's a bit of a show-me-deal. Show me what you have left, but they went into this agreement with the idea, from both ends, that they will do another contract after this year," said Dulac.
He said it is not just a one-year trial or a Band-Aid fix with Wilson. The hope from both sides is that he finds success in Pittsburgh, which will keep him here for the rest of his career.
Wilson is already showing his commitment to the team and the city. He has worked out with some of his new teammates, attended a Pittsburgh Penguins game, threw out the first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates game, and begun charity work in Pittsburgh. It is hard to view Wilson as the villain some have made him out to be when he appears to be doing everything he can to make the Steel City home.
"They're not one-year rentals. They are planning on going forward with these guys, unless Russell Wilson would just bomb out and show he has nothing left, which I just don't believe. I think you're going to see both those guys receive some kind of deal. I think they'll work out the deal with Russell Wilson after the season. That is certainly the intent as I said."
The fact remains that Wilson does have to prove himself. He has to show that he isn't some fame-obsessed diva married to a pop star. He has to show that just because he is a little older, doesn't mean he's lost the ability to win games.
The Steelers' Plan For Justin Fields
If the Steelers hope to keep Wilson after the 2024 season, what exactly are they planning to do with Fields? According to Dulac on that same show, they would like both players to stay in Black and Gold.
Dulac said that the plan all along was to decline Fields' fifth-year option, but get him tied into a new multi-year contract. While the initial idea might have been to have Kenny Pickett back up Wilson, they had no problem pivoting to Fields. This isn't a one-year proposal; the Steelers hope to have their quarterback situation locked up for quite a while.
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