Steelers' Russell Wilson's Former Teammate Can Pinpoint Exactly How The QB Has Rejuvenated His Career In Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally found quality quarterback play after searching for it ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season. After two seasons of the offense struggling with either Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, or Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback, the organization decided to make change. The entire quarterback room upgraded during the 2024 offseason, and Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have led the charge.

The last few years of Wilson's career have been a bit of a rollercoaster. The quarterback's time with the Seattle Seahawks came to a close, and was traded to the Denver Broncos where he signed a big deal. Wilson's time in Seattle didn't end gracefully as he disagreed with changes made to the coaching staff which sparked the trade, and his time in Denver was an overall disaster. That included feuds with coaches and teammates. Wilson's former teammate, Richard Sherman, spoke about the quarterback on Monday's episode of his podcast, The Richard Sherman Podcast, and he talked about what makes things different in Pittsburgh for Wilson.

"He's shown some humility," Sherman said. "You don't hear the interviews, the catchphrases, and things like that that he showed in Denver where it just seemed like he was trying to separate himself from the Seattle Seahawks and really identify himself as an individual that plays at a high level that needs to be recognized week in and week out. I think right now, he's just staying with the team atmosphere. You don't hear anything after press conferences outside of what you need to hear."

When Wilson was initially traded to Denver, he was labeled as extremely obnoxious. He started coining a bunch of different catchphrases, and at times, it seemed that the quarterback cared more about his off-the-field persona than his play on the field. He struggled during his first season in Denver, and then he didn't get along with his head coach in 2023, which ultimately led to his release.

Wilson and Sherman were teammates in Seattle for six seasons from 2012 through 2017, so Sherman got to see what Wilson was like before he had all of the fame and success. Wilson came into the league as a third-round pick who had no guarantee of ever starting a game at the NFL level, so he definitely had a ton of humility at the time. That is what Sherman sees in his former quarterback now as he continues to succeed in Pittsburgh. Wilson cares solely about the team and the success of the organization.

While the quarterback was with the Broncos, he was often an off-the-field distraction with all of his weird gimmicks and mantras, and he didn't play well enough to warrant how large of a distraction he was. Denver never had much team success with Wilson running the offense, but now that the quarterback has returned to his old ways, he is one of the best in the league again.

Steelers' Russell Wilson Potentially Playing His Way Into Another Big Contract

The Steelers only signed Wilson to a one-year deal during the 2024 offseason, so the quarterback will be a free agent once the 2024 season comes to a close. There has been a ton of debate of what kind of deal he should get from the organization, particularly with the length and monetary value of the deal.

The quarterback may be inclined to take a deal that is slightly team-friendly. He has already made a ton of money in the NFL and he clearly has a strong desire to win, which are two reasons to take a deal that is slightly reasonable. Reports have estimated that a new deal for Wilson will cost somewhere around $30 million per year, but the quarterback may be willing to take less.

What do you think is the reason Wilson has been able to play so well in Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation