Steelers have officially announced their starting QB for Week 1

Sep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; View of the Pittsburgh Steelers logo at mid-field before the Steelers play the Las Vegas Raiders at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially named their starting quarterback for Week 1 of the 2024 season, and the news did not come as a surprise.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin announced on Wednesday that Russell Wilson has won the team’s quarterback competition, beating out Justin Fields as expected.

“I met with both quarterbacks here just a few minutes ago, after practice, and I informed them that Russ is QB1 going into Week 1,” Tomlin said. “It was a difficult decision, but not difficult in a negative way, to be quite honest with you. It was difficult in a positive way. The decision was difficult because of what they’re capable of doing. The decision was difficult because of how they’ve conducted themselves, as opposed to the things that they fall short in, in terms of capabilities or negative conduct.”

Mike Tomlin explains his decision to officially name Russell Wilson QB 1 pic.twitter.com/nud25VZGSj

— Jenna Harner (@JennaHarner11) August 28, 2024

Tomlin said all along that Wilson was in the “pole position” to be Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback, and there was nothing that indicated the plan had changed. The way Wilson and Fields were used in the Steelers’ preseason finale on Saturday made it even more obvious that Wilson had won the job.

The Steelers had a lot of offensive issues during the preseason, and Tomlin did not seem thrilled with either of his quarterbacks. There was talk earlier in the offseason that Fields could have a role in the team’s offense even if he does not start at quarterback, so that remains a possibility.