Since the end of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 campaign, there’s been a rumor floating around that quarterback Russell Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith did not see eye to eye on late season play calling and how the offense was being run.
Head coach Mike Tomlin even fielded a question on this matter during his end of year press conference, although the Steelers HC did very little to confirm or deny those claims. “I thought [their relationship] was pretty good and fluid,” Tomlin told reporters at the time. “I know they do an awesome job of spending time together and communicating formally and informally.”
On February 20, veteran NFL insider Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio appeared to corroborate rumors of strife between Wilson and the coaching staff — but not necessarily Smith in particular.
“I would be very surprised if Russell Wilson comes back [to Pittsburgh],” Caplan told Scott Ferrall’s “Coast to Coast” on Thursday. Adding: “I know it’s not impossible. I know there’s some people in the Steelers who would like to see him back, I think there’s some coaches who were hoping to bench him last season but were overruled, as I understand it.”
That “overruled” part is the key comment here — and we’ll discuss this more below — but it is crucial for fans to know who overruled who. Unfortunately, Caplan left it at that.
Finally, he concluded that the Steelers’ organizational opinion of Wilson is a “mixed bag,” which certainly jives with a lot of the reporting over the past month or so. The insider also stated that the team is “very intrigued with Justin Fields,” noting that some feel he never truly “got a shot” to reclaim the starting job.
Russell Wilson’s Odds of Steelers’ Reunion Continue to Plummet — Unless Mystery Backer Steps In
It’s been a rough few days — and offseason as a whole — for Wilson. The veteran signal-caller has reiterated over and over again that he would like nothing more than to return as the Steelers’ starting QB in 2025, and yet, very few insiders and beat reporters seem to view that as probable.
Caplan’s insider info is just the latest domino to fall.
Examining his words more closely though, it is somewhat frustrating that Caplan did not divulge just a little bit more — like the identity of who he might be talking about. For example, when it came to benching Wilson, was it Smith and a few positional coaches who were “overruled” by Tomlin, or was the entire staff — including Tomlin — overruled by owner and president Art Rooney II?
The idea that Rooney would ever step in and tell Tomlin how to run football operations feels a bit farfetched, but more recently, there were a couple of strong hints (via long-time beat member Mark Kaboly on 93.7 The Fan) that ownership prefers Wilson over Fields.
Where Do Steelers HC Mike Tomlin & GM Omar Khan Stand on Russell Wilson vs. Justin Fields?
Let’s assume for a moment that Rooney leans Wilson and Smith leans Fields. That would make Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan the deciding votes — at least in terms of influential Steelers figures — making their opinions on this quarterback debate the most important.
Khan’s opinion on Wilson versus Fields has not often been reported, if it’s been revealed at all, but Tomlin’s has been veiled by conflicting updates.
Some believe Tomlin has made it clear that he prefers a younger, more mobile quarterback. The Steelers HC has also spoken up for Fields, stating that he feels the former first-round talent is ready for another starting gig in 2025.
On the other hand, reporters and insiders have sometimes indicated that Tomlin prefers the experience and leadership of Wilson. Just this week on the February 20 edition of ESPN’s SportsCenter, insider Jeremy Fowler relayed that “certainly, Mike Tomlin feels a commitment or a loyalty to Wilson.”
Fowler acknowledged that this “loyalty” could factor into the Steelers’ eventual QB decision.
In the same breath, Fowler reported the organization’s “internal optimism” for Fields, and he didn’t rule out Pittsburgh bringing in a new quarterback that wasn’t on the roster last year either. Needless to say, this ongoing Steelers quarterback debate is not quite finished as of February 21.
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