The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a quarterback controversy for months now after Russell Wilson sustained a calf injury during the offseason, and then reaggravated it ahead of Week 1, opening the door for Justin Fields to start.
In Wilson’s stead, Fields and the Steelers got off to a 3-0 start, but the team has lost each of its last two contests and now there are questions about whether or not the Steelers will go back to Wilson, who was named the starter prior to Week 1.
But Wilson needed to get healthy before that could even be an actual discussion, and he has done just that after logging three full practices over the course of the week, en route to not getting a designation.
But will he actually play in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders?
Is Russell Wilson playing today?
UPDATE: Wilson is indeed active for the Week 6 game against the Raiders, but again, Fields is expected to start.
Inactives for #PITvsLV | @UPMCSportsMed
📝: https://t.co/scbf5bF5J5 pic.twitter.com/hEOHESBDzh
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 13, 2024
End of update
We’ll have to wait for official word once inactives drop an hour and a half before the 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff, but head coach Mike Tomlin said Wilson will likely be active for the first time this season and will serve as the No. 2 quarterback.
“Yeah, he’s probably gonna be active as the No. 2 quarterback,” Tomlin said of Wilson during the week. “I like what I’ve seen out there, but again, health and rust are two different things. I thought he had a good week displaying his health, his ability to protect himself. Now it’s just a process of getting reacclimated.”
“I thought he had a good week,” Tomlin added on Wilson. “He’s proven his health. Now it’s just a matter of knocking the rust off.”
Of course, that means Fields will get another start, but it may not be long before we see Wilson take the field for the Steelers.
While Fields has been solid over five games, he hasn’t played to a level that locks him into the starting job. Knowing that, if Fields and the Pittsburgh offense struggles in Week 6, we could see a change during the game or next week.
