Steelers Named Legitimate Super Bowl Contenders: "I Know It's Hard For People To Wrap Their Minds Around"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' season was divided into two halves before it even got underway: before and after the bye week. That is because the Steelers were predicted to have the toughest second half of any team in the league before the season began. Adjustments must always be made because the NFL constantly evolves, but the second half remains more difficult even with those changes. 

When Head Coach Mike Tomlin decided to switch quarterbacks, even though Justin Fields was finding ways to win most of the games, the fans and the media went crazy. It was almost as if much of the national media couldn't wait to be proven right, expecting to see the Steelers fail. However, they didn't, and now those same media members are eating crow and, when pushed, even honestly admit the Steelers have a legitimate shot at being a real contender in the AFC. 

That's what Damien Woody said on ESPN's Get Up on Monday after the win over the Washington Commanders. Show host Mike Greenberg asked him if the Steelers are really Super Bowl contenders with Russell Wilson as the quarterback. 

"Yes, they are," exclaimed Woody. "And I know it's hard for people to wrap their minds around; I was one of those people who thought that Justin Fields should've been the starter. But clearly Mike Tomlin knows his team better than anyone at this table. When I think of Super Bowl teams, I think of a few things: gotta have a coach, gotta have a quarterback, got the defense. Pittsburgh Steelers have all three, so you can't sit here and tell me, regardless of what we thought about the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the season, right now, you can't tell me that the Pittsburgh Steelers aren't one of the best teams in the AFC right now."

After the bye week, the Steelers face all six divisional games and some of the best teams in the league, including the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. That didn't make the first several weeks a cakewalk, and the Steelers' first game post-bye was against the Commanders, who have been a surprise success story this season. 

The Steelers have heard all season that their success, even with Fields as a quarterback, is due to their having yet to play "anyone." After each win, they hear that the next game will be a real challenge. This was said about the New York Jets, then the New York Giants, and then the Commanders; however, Wilson has beaten all three, and the team sits at 7-2 as they look forward to facing the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. 

Steelers' Russell Wilson Finding Redemption In Pittsburgh

Wilson is not only helping the Steelers get on track to win their first postseason game since the 2016 season, but also finding redemption for himself. A nine-time Pro Bowler, Wilson took the Seattle Seahawks to two Super Bowls, winning one. However, his relationship with the city and its head coach, Pete Carroll, soured, and Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos. 

The Broncos invested heavily in Wilson, seeing him as a savior for the team. Unfortunately, Wilson was not immediately successful. When the Broncos switched head coaches and hired Sean Payton, he and Wilson did not see eye-to-eye, and he couldn't get rid of Wilson fast enough. They essentially paid Wilson to leave when he signed up with the Steelers. 

When he arrived, fans were concerned. The media promoted the story of Wilson being a diva, a player who cared about himself rather than team success. However, since arriving in the Steel City, it has been completely the opposite. While some national media personalities believe that this is just a public relations stunt, Wilson has convinced those who matter most—his teammates. 

They have rallied around him and believe that he can help them find the success that has eluded them. Wilson has been a positive role model and leader for this young offense, and it has helped breathe new life into the unit. 

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