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After the Pittsburgh Steelers scored a season-high 37 points in the debut of quarterback Russell Wilson on October 20, head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t receive any questions about who might start behind center next week. In fact, the media present at Tomlin’s postgame press conference didn’t address the Wilson versus Justin Fields debate from before Week 7 with any of their questions.
That is, until former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall stepped into the media room. A Pittsburgh native and former New York Jets wideout, Marshall received the opportunity to ask Tomlin his final question of the postgame press conference.
“Was that one of your boldest decisions to go with 3,” Marshall asked with No. 3 referring to Wilson.
Tomlin answered simply with, “That’s why I’m well-compensated.”
The Steelers head coach received significant criticism for benching Fields in favor of Wilson before facing the Jets. In the first quarter on October 20, it appeared Tomlin’s critics were correct that it was the wrong move.
But Wilson came on strongly in the second half to finish with 264 passing yards. That’s the most ever for a quarterback making his Steelers debut in history.
Wilson also threw 2 touchdowns and ran for another, leading Pittsburgh to a 37-15 victory.
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Received Significant Criticism From Around the League Before Week 7
Based on the amount of noise around Tomlin prior to facing the Jets, the Steelers head coach could have pumped his chest a lot more about turning to Wilson in Week 7.
Tomlin received criticism from everywhere for the decision to bench Fields. NFL analysts, Steelers fans on social media and even former Steelers quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger were vocal about disagreeing with Tomlin’s choice of Wilson.
“I totally disagree with this decision by Mike Tomlin, the head coach,” Bradshaw said on the FOX NFL pregame show on October 20, via Steelers Depot. “I would stay with Fields. Fields fits this team’s personality. They like to run the football. He’s a big, strong running quarterback, athletic enough but also a guy who can move the football through the air.
“I don’t understand the move.
“If Sean Payton, one of the greatest offensive minds in the NFL, gives up on a guy that throws 25 touchdowns and 6 interceptions after 15 games, I’m telling you that there’s something wrong with Wilson that I don’t know about. But I know this, in my opinion, Wilson should not be starting today.”
Multiple NFL insiders reported before Week 7 that even members of the Steelers organization disagreed with benching Fields. On October 20, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that “some people” she talked to around the league believed the Steelers were only starting Wilson to avoid the conditional sixth-round pick they sent to the Chicago Bears for Fields becoming a fourth-round choice.
That will happen if Fields plays 51 percent of Pittsburgh’s offensive snaps this season.
Russini also wrote on October 19 that the Jets were “happy about the news” Wilson was starting instead of Fields.
Russell Wilson Stars in Steelers Debut
But the Jets were certainly not happy after having to face Wilson. The veteran quarterback turned it on in the second half, completing 8 of his last 12 passes for 119 yards with a touchdown.
Behind that strong second half, the Steelers produced their best offensive performance of this season. In addition to their most points, the Steelers had a season-high 409 yards and 6.2 yards per play average.
Wilson didn’t produce dynamic scrambling plays as Fields did in the first six weeks. But, he scored a touchdown on a 1-yard sneak. Furthermore, after Wilson converted a few passes down field, the ground game opened for Pittsburgh.
The Steelers rushed for 149 yards versus the Jets.
Maybe for the quarterback’s performance, Tomlin should have also told the media that’s why Wilson is well-compensated. Wilson will make $39 million for the 2024 NFL season.
Of course, if Tomlin had, he would have been referring to Wilson’s salary with the Denver Broncos. Denver is paying Wilson all but $1.2 million of his 2024 salary not to play for them this season.
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