Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers is holding off on naming a starting quarterback for the 2024 season as the team wraps up preseason play.
After a 24-17 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions, Tomlin hasn’t yet decided between Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. Instead, he plans to evaluate both quarterbacks during the upcoming week of practice and will make the announcement by week’s end.
“We’ve got three days of Steelers versus Steelers work, and it makes sense to wait until then,” Tomlin remarked, according to NFL.com’s Coral Smith. “We can focus on decisions once we finish that. There’s plenty of time to get ready for Atlanta and finalize our game plan.”
“So, the decision will come at the week’s end,” he added.
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Both Wilson and Fields have yet to emerge as the clear favorite for the starting position after a series of preseason performances. Wilson started the recent game and completed 2-2 passes for 26 yards, leading the Steelers to their only touchdown drive. This was an improvement after his previous game where the offense struggled to find the end zone.
Fields stepped in with a brief appearance, going 3-4 for 40 yards. Last week, Wilson returned from a calf injury, connecting on 8 of his 10 passes for 47 yards, though he faced challenges from the offensive line. Meanwhile, Fields went 11-17 for 92 yards, but the team could only manage a field goal in a 9-3 defeat against the Buffalo Bills.
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The Steelers brought in both quarterbacks this offseason after their respective teams decided to move on. Wilson joins from the Denver Broncos, where his performance dipped significantly, leading to a disappointing 11-19 record over two years there. Fields, on the other hand, was traded from the Chicago Bears after showing promising development but became expendable when Chicago chose to pursue quarterback Caleb Williams in the upcoming draft.
As the two quarterbacks continue their competition, one will be named the starter for Pittsburgh’s season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.