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Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers traded for 25-year-old quarterback Justin Fields just days after signing veteran and Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson to a one-year deal, the former Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos QB is already making it clear that he and Fields are a unit and are working toward the same goal.
In a post to Twitter that he shared just hours after the Steelers traded for Fields on Saturday, March 16, the 35-year-old Wilson expressed excitement about the move, saying that Pittsburgh’s quarterback room is “about to be fire.”
Let’s get it @justnfields!
QB room bout to be 🔥 🔥 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Vz4R7ZFArO— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 17, 2024
According to initial reports, the Steelers say that Wilson will be the starting signal-caller and Fields will back him up. However, if Wilson underperforms with what the franchise likely believes is a playoff roster, that can certainly change. Plus, at just 25 years old and now being free of a notoriously moribund franchise, the Steelers might believe that Fields still has the potential to be a franchise QB.
Fields was drafted by the Bears with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and played in 40 games for the franchise, starting in 38. Fields’ record with the Bears was 10-28.
In his 40 games with Chicago, Fields completed 60% of his passes for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions. Fields is also an elite threat on the ground, as he carried the ball 356 times for 2,220 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns.
In 2022, Fields rushed for a staggering 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, which are similar to the numbers of a top-end running back.
As for Wilson, he was selected by the Seahawks in the 3rd round of the 2012 NFL Draft and was named the team’s starter before his rookie season.
Wilson spent 10 seasons in Seattle and started in all 16 regular season games in every season except 2021. Wilson won two NFC Champions and one Super Bowl with Seattle (2013) before eventually being traded to the Broncos prior to the beginning of the 2022 season.
His time in Denver was largely disastrous, however, as he compiled a record of 11-19 in 30 starts with the team. Nathaniel Hackett, the Broncos head coach during Wilson’s first season in Denver, was also fired after just 15 games.