Steelers' Mike Tomlin's Status As First-Ballot Hall Of Famer Should Not Shield Him From Criticism For Divisive QB Decision

Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have completely divided Steeler Nation with their latest decision. Despite going 4-2 in his first six weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season, Justin Fields has officially been benched in favor of Russell Wilson, now that he is finally healthy. There are plenty of questions about how Wilson will handle Pittsburgh's mangled offensive line and lack of production from the receivers. Is he a good enough passer to make up for losing Fields' running ability? Only time will tell, and the first chance to see that will be in Week 7 against the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football. 

The debate even goes past the fan base, as former NFL MVP Cam Newton had his own thoughts to share about the situation while on his podcast 4th and 1 with Cam Newton.

"Does a person's resume eliminate them from questioning their performance or their decision? I'm saying h*ll no. We shouldn't give bypasses because they're a first-ballot Hall of Famer, nor should we give any 'Okay, let's see how this works.' Everybody is up for questioning and analyzing. Coach Tomlin, I don't agree with that [decision to bench Fields]. It creates division in the locker room."

All that potential division comes from reports that some of the Steelers personnel rally around Fields and see him as the leader of the offense. If that truly is the case, it will be interesting to see how they react to Wilson on game day. Obviously, they won't just quit on him, but an unpopular decision like that one could result in the overall team morale going down very quickly. 

The bright spot about that is the fact that no one in the NFL is better at improving morale and motivating his team than Tomlin, and he may have to work up some of his magic here. So many conflicting narratives and theories lead to a very unpredictable game against the Jets. Despite the vote of confidence from the head coach, Wilson could still be playing for his job in the long run. 

Steelers' Long-Term Future Could Be Decided In Next Few Weeks

If Wilson does better than Fields, then there is no way that Tomlin benches the guy that he named QB1 back in March. Even during his six-week absence, the veteran quarterback remained at the top of the depth chart, with his head coach never backing down on that notion. Wilson could secure the starting role and maybe even another contract with the Steelers if he plays well.

If he doesn't, then the quarterback controversy will extend into the offseason. With the amount of support Fields has from fans and teammates, Tomlin will never stop hearing the cries to put him back in and bench Wilson. Whether he does or not is to be determined, but at very least, the veteran quarterback is still looking to start. Even if the Steelers don't sign him back, he's playing for a new deal anywhere in the NFL. 

Wilson was given the captaincy role, which probably helps Tomlin's decision to put him on the field. He has always had a lean towards his captains, especially if they have been around the league for a long time. There is not much that Wilson has not seen or done at this point in his career, and that gives his head coach a lot of comfort. How well can he translate that knowledge and experience into points and wins?

If Wilson does keep the starting job for the rest of the season, the question then shifts to the usage of Fields. Would they be open to having special packages for him and utilizing him as a wildcat quarterback? Would they re-sign him and let him compete for the starting job in 2025, or will they toss the young project away? There are way too many questions that can only be answered by the product on the field in coming weeks.

What do you think about Newton criticizing Tomlin for his decision at quarterback? Let us know in the comments below.

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