The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson to be their starting quarterback this season.
But Wilson recently suffered a calf strain, and that may have given an opening to backup quarterback Justin Fields, according to ESPN’s NFL reporter Adam Schefter.
“You heard the Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin come out before camp and say in his words that Russell Wilson had the quote on quote ‘pole position’ to win the Steelers starting quarterback job,” Schefter said during a recent appearance on ESPN.
“But what happens when you get the pole position and you suffer a calf strain and you give your competition some reps? That enables Justin Fields to make a mark with the coaching staff and he certainly did.”
Schefter said that he still thinks Wilson is currently holding onto the starting position, but Fields, the former Ohio State Buckeye standout and Chicago Bears draftee, has “opened some eyes” about what his talent could mean for the Steelers’ offense.
“And I think Russell Wilson remains in the pole position, but I also think that Justin Fields has opened some eyes and they see the type of offense they could have,” Schefter continued. “And we know how this staff has felt about Justin Fields in the past and he has gotten better at practice every day as it’s been told to me. So we’ll see how this plays out over the summer. Again, I think Russell’s in the lead, but I think Justin Fields has gained some ground just by being out there, with Russell being sidelined due to that calf injury.”
It’s good to have options in the NFL at quarterback. And even if Wilson maintains his spot, the Steelers will certainly feel better about their prospects knowing they have a quality backup in Fields.
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