Steelers' Russell Wilson With A Revealing Update On His Injury Status

The Pittsburgh Steelers are apparently planning to start Justin Fields once again as they face the Los Angeles Chargers for their home opener at Acrisure Stadium in Week 3. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been vague about his plans for Russell Wilson going forward. He told the media that the team will cross that bridge when Wilson is fully healthy. 

Wilson was brought in to be the starting quarterback when the Kenny Pickett experiment essentially failed. However, he suffered a calf injury at the beginning of training camp, derailing that plan and allowing Fields to step up. If he keeps playing the way he is, it will be difficult to pull Fields when Wilson is finally healthy. Fields has been far from perfect however, as his stat line was hampered by penalties on the way to their 2-0 start to the season. 

The team is busy prepping for the Chargers and that includes Wilson. According to Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on X, Wilson said he is definitely on the road to recovery. 

"Steelers QB Russell Wilson on his calf injury: 'I'm definitely gaining ground. I feel good.' Said he was able to do more work today in practice than before," posted Batko.

ESPN's Brooke Pryor echoed those comments on her X page saying that Wilson commented that he can do more work each and every day. However, when Wilson will be ready for action is still not clear. 

In the meantime, Fields has been pretty much mistake-free. That is encouraging because his propensity to turn the ball over was one of the biggest black marks against him while he was with the Chicago Bears. While Fields has received some criticism for taking some sacks against the Denver Broncos, he was also able to connect with receiver George Pickens and tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington for some nice passes. He was also able to use his famous athletic ability to avoid defenders. 

At 35 years old, Wilson has to be careful since there is an increased likelihood that a calf strain can turn into an Achilles injury, which could possibly end any dreams of continuing in the NFL. Wilson and Fields are in Pittsburgh on one-year contracts, hoping to prove they have what it takes to be a starter in the Steel City, or on another team. 

The Steelers May Have Resolved Their Special Teams Woes After Another Crucial Injury

The Steelers have the highest-paid defense in the NFL, but that doesn't matter if they never get a rest. Even superstars like T.J. Watt need a few minutes to catch their breath. Unfortunately, the offense under Matt Canada didn't allow that to happen very often. They routinely went three-and-out, and former punter, Pressley Harvin III, was wildly inconsistent. 

Pittsburgh parted ways with Harvin after the 2023 season and signed Cameron Johnston. Johnston looked impressive in the preseason and in the first half of the Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons, but then disaster struck. A Falcons player rolled up on Johnston's knee, causing a season-ending injury. This created immediate concerns about who Pittsburgh would bring in to replace him. 

They chose Corliss Waitman, who has worked out with the Steelers before. In his first 2024 appearance in black and gold, Waitman was impressive, with some huge punts. Even former Pro Bowler turned entertainment icon Pat McAfee was impressed. McAfee said on a recent episode of his show that Pittsburgh better be "ready for some big ol' punts," saying that Waitman kicked a "nuke."   

In his first game, Waitman kicked eight punts, averaging 53 yards, with the longest one being 58 yards. Hopefully, Waitman stays consistent because winning the field position battle will be crucial for this offense as it finds its sea legs. 

What do you think the Steelers should do with Wilson when he is healthy? Click to comment below. 

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