Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will need to make an official decision soon about who his starting quarterback will be in the 2024 NFL season between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
Both quarterbacks struggled in preseason games thus far, with Wilson most recently criticized for his poor performance against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher doesn't believe Tomlin should count Wilson out after his latest performance, though. Cowher is confident the Steelers should stick with the veteran quarterback as the starter at the beginning of the season.
"If I'm Mike Tomlin ... I think you start the season with Russell," Cowher said on the Pat McAfee Show. "Justin Fields, if he starts as the second guy, have a package of plays. If all of a sudden you need a spark, something to get your offense going again, put him in. If you have to take Russell out, he's been there before. It's not going to destroy his confidence. I don't want to start Justin Fields, then feel like I have to make a change and I have to take him out."
Cowher also talked about limiting the expectations of Fields so he can feel more confident in his position whenever he's ready to go.
"I would take the pressure off of Justin, start Russell, and Russell may take it and run with it."
"If I'm Mike Tomlin I would start the season with Russell Wilson..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 19, 2024
I would take the pressure off of Justin Fields and see if Russell can take it and run with it"@CowherCBS #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/UL1AMrGtG4
The quarterback decision has been a big storyline all offseason as the Steelers restarted with a brand new quarterback room after losing Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph from last year's roster. The team went through a similar scenario with Trubisky and Pickett in 2022, as Trubisky began the season as the starting quarterback until Tomlin chose to go with the first-round pick Pickett in Week 5.
Tomlin has just a few weeks to make his official decision about the quarterback before the team's Week 1 matchup vs. the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.
MORE STEELERS
- Dan Orlovsky Explains Why It’s 'Obvious' Russell Wilson Shouldn’t Start for Steelers
- Steelers QB Competition Will Start Getting Real Soon
- Russell Wilson Blasted by Fans After Steelers' Ugly Loss to Bills
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bill Cowher Names His Choice for Steelers QB Between Russell Wilson, Justin Fields.
