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Steelers QB Race Fires Up Fan Excitement: Last Chance for Justin Fields to Overthrow Russell Wilson

Samnur Reza
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Steelers QB Race Fires Up Fan Excitement: Last Chance for Justin Fields to Overthrow Russell Wilson

Mike Tomlin (in-picture), Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Picture Credits: Instagram @steelers and USA TODAY Sports.

The Russell Wilson-led Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Lions in their preseason finale today in Detroit, but there seems to be more at stake. On Thursday, head coach Mike Tomlin made it clear that the starting QB role remains unchanged, meaning Wilson continues as the starter. However, as in their loss against the Bills, backup Justin Fields will take the field later in the game, splitting reps with Wilson.

This goes without saying, but Fields now has another opportunity to gain an edge and secure the starting role. In the preseason opener against the Texans, despite Wilson being sidelined with a calf injury, Fields played just three series. The former Bears QB completed 5 of 6 passes for 67 yards, ultimately losing the game.

Fields then showed flashes of his talent in the home game against the Bills, completing 11 of 17 passes for 92 yards. But since the fourth-year QB had to split reps with Wilson, fans were left wishing they had seen more of Fields.

This is exactly why Steeler Nation couldn’t help but hope for Fields to assume the starting role this week. And when Ian Rapoport took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to proclaim that the upcoming game would be “a big one” for the club’s QB position, optimistic fans flocked to the comments to share their thoughts:

Some fans, meanwhile, were already aware of what’s at play here, remarking that there’s no way Fields would get the starting role ahead of Wilson. Wilson’s experience as a QB for multiple franchises and his Super Bowl ring are enough for Tomlin to stick with him until things “start to go south”

That being said, the upcoming matchup certainly has a lot at stake. After two consecutive losses, the Steelers must show strength; however, it won’t come easy, considering the Lions are coming into the matchup off a win against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The game is set to take place this Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET. You can catch it on NFL Network or stream it on SlingTV.

About the author

Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza

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Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. He still vividly remembers his first-ever fixture: a 2011 matchup between the Patriots and Raiders, where Brady led his team to a 31-19 victory. Even so, Samnur believes Brady’s best performance came against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, a game he still revisits from time to time. Samnur diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and even the NCAA. Thus, he considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 850 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over a year ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in God of War: Ragnarök. Having recently learned how to ride a bike, he now wishes to travel almost everywhere on it.

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