Former NFL player and current analyst Emmanuel Acho recently said that he felt the Pittsburgh Steelers made a mistake in selecting veteran quarterback Russell Wilson as a team captain because “you don’t name a captain you might bench” in favor of backup Justin Fields.
NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah believes Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t thinking about such a scenario playing out heading into this Sunday’s regular-season opener at the Atlanta Falcons, though.
“That ‘C’ on his uniform stands for ‘cushion,'” Jeremiah said about the Wilson situation during the latest edition of the “Move the Sticks” podcast, as shared by Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. “If you thought there was gonna be a quick hook, when you throw the ‘C’ on your chest, that means we’re gonna give him a little time to get adjusted and figure this thing out. That’s what that tells me.”
While some corners of the football world have believed throughout the summer that Tomlin always planned to start Wilson over Fields, multiple NFL insiders have insisted that a legitimate competition between the two was so “close” that a contingent within the Steelers allegedly “pushed” for Fields to start against Atlanta.
Jeremiah seems skeptical about such takes.
“If it was really neck and neck,” Jeremiah added during the podcast, “and Russ won that job by a nose, I don’t think you name him the captain thinking that there could be a hook coming soon.”
The Steelers will play a “Monday Night Football” game in Week 8 on Oct. 28 before they enter their bye. Depending on Wilson’s record as a starter at that time (assuming he stays healthy through eight games), Tomlin could use the break to get Fields ready to start the Week 10 road matchup at the Washington Commanders on Nov. 10.
As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Pittsburgh as a 3.5-point road underdog against Atlanta. The Steelers may feature Fields in a package of plays against the Falcons, but it sounds like Wilson will remain atop the depth chart through at least the start of the Week 2 game at the Denver Broncos (his former club) as long as he isn’t injured and doesn’t fall flat on his face at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this weekend.
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