Russell Wilson has played in Pittsburgh only once in his 12-year NFL career. However, his lone trip to the Steel City left a memorable impression.
Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks beat the Steelers 28-26 in Week 2 of the 2019 season. The stadium was then called Heinz Field and now known as Acrisure Stadium.
Regardless of the name, Wilson came away impressed.
“Just the atmosphere, walking into the stadium, just the energy,” Wilson recalled. “I remember the towels, Renegade, the whole thing. I remember the game coming down to the fourth quarter.”
Wilson had a fine afternoon, completing 29 of 35 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The most memorable part of that game for the Steelers wasn’t a good one as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sustained a season-ending elbow injury.
Now the Steelers are hoping that Wilson can finally be the quarterback who truly sparks the offense, which has been lost since Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 seasons.
The Steelers have used three starting quarterbacks in the two seasons since Roethlisberger stepped away – Mitchell Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph.
Pickett is the most significant of the trio. The Steelers chose him in the first round of the 2022 draft after he starred at the University of Pittsburgh. Retired general manager Kevin Colbert was confident that Pickett would be a worthy successor to Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl winner and six-time Pro Bowl selection in his 18-year career.
However, Pickett’s record as a starter was 14-10 over two seasons. He threw just 13 touchdown passes in 25 games while also being intercepted 13 times.
The Pickett era ended last week when he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Trubisky and Rudolph have also departed since the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Buffalo Bills in an AFC Wild Card game to complete a 10-8 season. Trubisky was released and subsequently signed with the Bills while Rudolph signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
That was part of a dramatic quarterback shakeup.
The Steelers signed Wilson as a free agent after being released by the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh then traded for Justin Fields, who started 38 games for the Chicago Bears over the past three seasons.
Wilson was considered a disappointment in his two seasons with the Broncos, who acquired him from the Seahawks in a blockbuster trade. He had an 11-19 record as a starter with 42 touchdowns and 19 picks. He also clashed with coach Sean Payton, who replaced Nathaniel Hackett following the 2022 season.
However, Wilson feels he is better set up for success in Pittsburgh. He decided to visit the Steelers following an hourlong Facetime Talk with defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, named the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year last season for his charitable work.
“It was a cool experience of a guy that has been at the top of his game for so long and also a man who has made a difference in the community, a guy who has made a difference not just in Pittsburgh but around the country in all the things he’s done,” Wilson said during his introductory press conference. “He solidified himself as one of the best players in the game.”
Meetings with Steelers general manager Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin sealed the deal for Wilson.
“I think that winning is a habit,” Wilson said. “Coach knows what those habits are like. That’s what really fires me up. Omar, obviously he’s done an amazing job of bringing this team together, and obviously our goal was to acquire some other great players.
“I was fortunate to have several teams call and all that, but this is the place I wanted to be, be a Pittsburgh Steeler and to wear the black-and-gold. It’s a true honor, tradition, history. There’s six (Super Bowl) trophies in there and we got to go get a seventh.”