Steelers receive a clear answer to their QB questions following playoff loss in Baltimore
The Pittsburgh Steelers both outperformed expectations and disappointed this season. After a hot start that had them 10-3 and battling for the first overall seed, Pittsburgh lost four in a row. That had Russell Wilson going from a surefire contract extension, to questions about whether or not he'll even be back in Black and Gold […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers both outperformed expectations and disappointed this season.
After a hot start that had them 10-3 and battling for the first overall seed, Pittsburgh lost four in a row.
That had Russell Wilson going from a surefire contract extension, to questions about whether or not he'll even be back in Black and Gold next year.
And following another first-round exit and their fifth straight, that answer should be clear…
Steelers Back to Square One at QB
If you just look at the box score against the Baltimore Ravens, you would think Russell Wilson was the least of the Steelers' problems. A 69% completion percentage, 270 yards passing, 2-0 TD-INT ratio, and 121.3 QB rating would have you believing he's the right guy for the job.
But when you realize almost all of those numbers came after the Steelers were down 21-0 at the half, it didn't matter. Not to mention when the Steelers actually had a chance to claw back into the contest, Wilson took a drive-killing sack, and the game was essentially put on ice.
Prior to Saturday's loss, there was already speculation that Mike Tomlin might bring in an old friend to replace Russell Wilson, whose thin ice may have just melted after five straight losses to close the season.
“I think we have seen Russell Wilson hit a wall, said Peter King on Mad Dog Sports Radio last week. "Whether Mike Tomlin is even thinking about, I'm sure he's not right now, thinking about 2025. They got a playoff game coming up, but if I were the Pittsburgh Steelers, knowing that I've got Cam Heyward, TJ Watt, I've got guys on defense with their expiration dates not long in the future. I would want to come in and try to get a quarterback who can make me competitive withBaltimore and Cincinnati in 2025. That guy to me would be Aaron Rodgers.”
“Oh it’s a fact," said NFL insider Dan Graziano on ESPN's Get UP when asked if it was a fact that Wilson needs to beat the Ravens to save his job. "I mean look there’s nothing really compelling them to bring him back. He’s on a one-year minimum salary deal. There was never any commitment beyond this year and if what happens at the end is they fall apart because he started playing poorly then they’ll just go find whatever next year’s Russell Wilson type solution is. I think he’s a guy they liked, but I don’t think there is any sure thing to be back there at all especially if they’re one and done in the playoffs."
"I'm not ready to, you know, take a big-picture approach. I'm really assessing what happened today," said Coach Tomlin when asked about no QBs on the roster in 2025 after the Ravens loss. "Man, I'm certainly appreciative of the efforts tonight, but I can say that, largely for the entire season that [we had] two quality people, three quality people at the quarterback position, man, and really appreciate what they poured into this."
