The Pittsburgh Steelers overhauled their quarterback room after a subpar 2023 campaign, sending Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles. Former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson will enter Pittsburgh's 2024 training camp as the starter, with Justin Fields backing him up. While many are excited to have Wilson under center for the Steelers, not everyone sees it as a positive for Pittsburgh. Aditi Kinkhabwala, who covers the NFL for CBS Sports, recently blasted Wilson for not being up to the task of running Denver's offense, which didn't paint the quarterback in a kind light.
Wilson spent two seasons with the Broncos, but his time never reached the lofty heights either side had hoped for. Some place the blame at the feet of the Broncos and the mismanagement of the situation, but Kinkhabwala was quite candid in her view. Ramon Foster spoke on the matter during the Ramon Foster Steelers Show on Wednesday and didn't appreciate the stance the reporter took against the Steelers' new quarterback.
"To me, it was this; that's just low. That's low. Russ being dumb is one of the most egregious things I've heard when we're talking about a guy's character. We've seen not-smart players in the league; Russ doesn't fit that bill at all, man. Whether it was him or her misunderstanding, I thought it was foul."
Kinkhabwala made her comments on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show where she referenced Wilson starting the season wearing a play-calling wristband and ending the 2023 season with one or two-word plays that he had everyone else memorize. Despite finishing the 2023 year with 26 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, the Broncos ended with a record of 8-9 that fell far short of where they wanted their expensive passer to have taken them. Foster continued to express his opinion on Kinkhabwala's position, citing his own time in the league as an example.
"You know who else had one and two-word plays? This guy, Ben [Roethlisberger]. I'll give you a few code words right now: black Cadillac, okay? Red Rolex, okay? Those are the things we're talking about. Black tank. You know why? Cause those are the plays. Russell is smart enough and has run multiple offenses to where...it's, 'Hey fellas, it's Cadillac, Cadillac, Cadillac,'...and you just go to the line of scrimmage."
Foster is speaking from plenty of on-the-field NFL experience rather than from a media perspective. Playing with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who used similar terminology to what Kinkhabwala was disparaging Wilson for seems like a misplaced shot for the analyst to make.
Perhaps the Broncos and Wilson weren't the match made in heaven that Denver believed they had gotten, but that hardly translates to his inability to handle the offense Arthur Smith puts together. Denver is paying a high price not to have Wilson play quarterback for them. Wilson will have a chance in 2024 to prove that the Denver debacle shouldn't be placed at his feet.
Steelers Are Giving Russell Wilson Every Opportunity
Wilson's NFL career is hardly defined by two seasons spent struggling in Denver, with two consecutive Super Bowl trips under his belt with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks walked away with one Super Bowl trophy (Super Bowl XLVIII) after Wilson's tenure in Seattle ended.
While Wilson was a key part of the championship squad, the Seahawks boasted a shutdown, dynamic defense, a pounding rushing attack, and a big, strong offensive line. The 2024 Steelers will be handing Wilson the reins to a roster that looks very similar to what he had in Seattle.
Despite not picking up his fifth-year option, Najee Harris offers a bruising compliment to Jaylen Warren's more shifty style. An offensive line with three high draft picks over 2023 and 2024 is eager to keep their quarterback upright and open some gaping holes for their backs to barrel through. The key to the entire approach is Pittsburgh's very expensive, very talented defense that fields TJ Watt, Joey Porter Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cameron Heyward, and the recently added Patrick Queen, just to name a few.
Wilson may want to forget his time with the Broncos, especially if it is going to be remembered in the negative light Kinkhabwala views it. With the team he has in Pittsburgh, though, 2024 will be a vital campaign for Wilson to show who he really is and, more importantly, what he is not.
How many wins will Russell Wilson lead the Steelers to in 2024?
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