Steelers' Mike Tomlin Upsets Organization With Controversial "Lone Ranger" Decision

The Pittsburgh Steelers made some wild moves in the 2024 offseason, and two of their biggest were bringing in veteran Russell Wilson and the younger, exciting quarterback Justin Fields. The Steelers acquired Wilson with hopes that his experience could help end their playoff drought. Although Wilson was named the starter before Week 1, a calf injury flared up, forcing him to sit out. Fields took over and led the team to a strong 4-2 start, proving himself capable under pressure.

Despite Fields' solid performance, Mike Tomlin made a bold decision to reinstate Wilson as the starter now that he's healthy. This choice has sparked widespread debate, with many questioning whether it's the right move for the team. Reports suggest that several members of the Steelers organization, including those close to Tomlin, were unhappy with his decision to bench Fields in favor of Wilson.

NFL insider Jay Glazer, a close friend of Tomlin, spoke with the head coach on Saturday night and shared some surprising insights into Tomlin's thought process. 

According to Glazer, Tomlin's decision ultimately came down to trusting his own judgment over the opinions of others in the organization, reinforcing the idea that he believes Wilson is the key to the Steelers' success this season.

"I talked to Mike Tomlin about it last night and he said, 'Look I went lone ranger on this,'" Glazer revealed. "TB [Terry Bradshaw] you are not the only one who’s against this. There’s a lot of people inside that organization who were as well."

Glazer shared these insights on Fox Sports, where Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw is also a prominent figure. Bradshaw recently made headlines with his viral comments on TMZ, expressing his belief that Tomlin is making a mistake by choosing Wilson over Fields. 

During the broadcast, Glazer provided further details on Tomlin's reasoning, revealing what the coach had confided in him about the controversial decision to start Wilson.

"Tomlin said look if it doesn’t work out, I’ll take the heat. I’ll shoulder the blame, no problem," Glazer said. "He said the reason why I did this is because I knew two quarterbacks going into camp that are very capable but I wanted to see both of them before I made a long-term decision. Well, I haven’t seen the other one. I want to see at least what I have from him, exhaust all options and then make a decision down the stretch."

Tomlin delivered a clear and firm message to Glazer, explaining why he feels compelled to start Wilson in Week 7.

"Tomlin said, 'I’m not trying to win games. I’m trying to win a world title here.' I gotta see what I got in both."

It's now clear that Tomlin's decision has caused frustration within the organization. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith hinted that he preferred to stick with Fields but acknowledged it wasn’t his call. Tomlin, committed to starting Wilson, has indicated that Fields will likely see action in specialized run packages.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Explains His Choice To Start Russell Wilson Over Justin Fields

Tomlin’s decision is driven by his determination to end the Steelers' playoff struggles, which have persisted since their last postseason victory in 2016. 

Desperate to break that drought and return to Super Bowl contention, Tomlin feels he needs to give Wilson a chance if he wants to win a title in 2024. Steeler Nation is eagerly awaiting how the offense will perform with Wilson under center.

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