The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a solid start to the 2024 NFL season. Pittsburgh started 3-0 but has dropped two close games in a row against Indianapolis and Dallas. There is now tension at the QB position due to the struggles of Justin Fields and veteran Russell Wilson getting healthy. Mike Tomlin may have a tough choice on who to start in Week 6.
Russell Wilson practiced in full on Tuesday for the first time this season. There is a chance that Russell Wilson could be active on Sunday, according to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. That is all Tomlin is willing to say on the situation at this time.
Pryor noted that there are multiple variables still to be determine throughout the week of practice. Any of those factors could contribute to a decision whether or not to activate Wilson for Week 6.
It remains an open question if the Steelers would prefer to replace Justin Fields if Russell Wilson is healthy.
Fields has played good, not great, football through five weeks. His Week 5 outing was ugly, totaling only 131 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin doubles down on ‘load management’ reason for George Pickens’ reduced role
The latest controversy in Pittsburgh surrounds wide receiver George Pickens.
Pickens did not have his usual snap count during the team’s Week 5 loss to the Cowboys. When asked about it after the game, coach Tomlin said it was simple load management.
“We just wanted to kind of minimize his reps in an effort to get more productivity,” Tomlin told ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “We’re just trying to manage in terms of the totality of the big picture. He wasn’t less of a focal point in terms of our intentions of what we wanted to do offensively, but we did want to cut his reps a little bit in an effort to get higher quality play, just in general.”
Tomlin then compared the move to something that is commonly done with veteran players.