Steelers choose Russell Wilson over Justin Fields as starting QB

PITTSBURGH — Russell Wilson will start the Steelers’ season opener at Atlanta, coach Mike Tomlin announced Wednesday.

Wilson, who signed a one-year contract with the Steelers in March, entered the offseason in pole position for the starting job, a spot he maintained despite a calf injury that sidelined him for most of the Steelers’ training camp.

Justin Fields, whom the Steelers acquired from the Chicago Bears in a trade in March for a conditional sixth-round pick, will back up Wilson.

Although Tomlin said the two were competing for the job throughout the preseason, Wilson always appeared to have the edge, including in the final preseason game where he played just five snaps and led the first-team offense to a scoring drive before being pulled.

Fields played 56 snaps in the preseason compared to Wilson’s 25. Fields completed 19 of 27 attempts for 199 yards and led a scoring drive, while Wilson completed 10 of 12 attempts for 73 yards and led a scoring drive. Fields averaged 8.3 passing yards per attempt, while Wilson averaged 5.7.

Wilson last started a game for the Denver Broncos, the Steelers’ Week 2 opponent, in Week 16 of the 2023 season before being replaced by Jarrett Stidham for the final two weeks of the season.

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl champion with the Seattle Seahawks, finished this season with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but was sacked 45 times. Fields, meanwhile, started 13 games for the Bears last season and threw 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions and was sacked 44 times.