Steelers' Russell Wilson Absolutely Could Return For Less Money: "Why Would You Want To Start Over In A New Offense"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a big decision about who will be their starting quarterback in 2025. When they brought Russell Wilson and Justin Fields on board before the 2024 season, it was on one-year contracts. While both of them were veterans, they were at very different places in their careers, but still looking to prove themselves to the league.  

Steelers President Art Rooney II recently spoke with the media and said the team wants to keep Wilson or Fields. Before the five-game losing streak that ended the season, most felt that Wilson was the favorite, but after the losses, most of the local media began to say that Fields has a slight advantage. 

That's what Ray Fittipaldo from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said on the Pomp and Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan. He believes it is close to a 50/50 decision right now, with Fields having a slight edge. He added that he doesn't think they have made a decision or have even thoroughly discussed the positives and negatives of each player. He feels that when it comes to Fields, he will be looking at this differently than Wilson. 

"Justin's gotta go where he can make the most money and where he has a chance to be the bona fide starting quarterback, no questions asked," explained Fittipaldo. "It's a completely different situation from Russell Wilson; he's already made his money. Russ, I can see him coming back for less money; at 36, why would you want to start over in a new offense again for like the third time in the last four years."

Fittipaldo thinks Fields might have suitors interested in him, which could drive the price up. While the Steelers franchise is often accused of being cheap, Fittipaldo doesn't think money will be the deciding factor here. He said they recognize that they saved a great deal of money on quarterbacks in the 2024 season and will be willing to pay fair market value for a player who fits their needs. 

It is interesting that Fittipaldo believes that Fields has a slight advantage because Adam Schefter from ESPN recently said that he thinks Wilson does. On a recent episode of Get Up, he shared that Pittsburgh has expressed interest in bringing Wilson back and added that they "got first dibs on the guy." He did explain that the deal would need to make sense to both sides. 

Wilson has been open about his desire to stay in Pittsburgh. He has embraced the city and the culture of Western Pennsylvania in a way that surprised many people who believed him to be the kind of diva that would be better suited to Los Angeles. However, since arriving, he has participated in numerous charity events, including at the children's hospital, attending hockey and baseball games, greeting fans, and signing autographs. 

Are The Steelers A Quarterback Away From Postseason Success?

The Steelers spent a significant amount of draft capital improving their offensive line the past couple of seasons, which was added to a team with the highest-paid defense in the NFL; it felt like they needed a quarterback to pull it all together. But 2024 revealed that isn't the case. 

The offensive line was riddled with injuries, and 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones seemed to be regressing. Other than the handful of highly paid players, the defense seemed to struggle at times. They lacked offensive weapons after failing to secure another wide receiver. 

One of the concerns from fans is that Rooney and the rest of the franchise are satisfied with just being "status quo." They lack the old killer instinct that made Art Rooney Sr. such a good owner. Head Coach Mike Tomlin hasn't had a non-losing season in his 18 years with the team, and fans worry that the franchise sees that as good enough while they view the standard for such a storied franchise as a Super Bowl win. 

Do you think Wilson would stay in Pittsburgh for less money? Comment below! 

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