Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t feeling any urgency to name a starting quarterback for the start of the regular season, but the process of coming to that decision will take a big step forward on Saturday.
Russell Wilson will make his first appearance of the preseason as the starter against the Bills and Tomlin said that kicks off “two significant weeks left in this process in terms of in-stadium performances” for both Wilson and Justin Fields. Fields started the first preseason game as Wilson finished his recovery from a calf injury and did some good things, although Tomlin said a pair of fumbled exchanges on snaps mitigated those positives.
Tomlin said the only timeline for naming a starter is “before the opener” while providing a snapshot of where things stand right now.
“It’s probably in the same place that I’ve described it throughout the spring and the summer,” Tomlin said, via the team’s website. “Both guys are vying for the role. Russ has pole position because of the collective body of work, the totality of the body of work that he brings into the circumstance. Both guys are new to us. We’re getting an opportunity to get to know them through this process. It’s been a great process. Now that Russ has full health, it’s going to heat up over the next couple of weeks, and I’m excited about watching it happen.”
Wilson’s place on the pole makes him the likely starter, but Tomlin’s not making any guarantees and that leaves some intrigue to the proceedings in Pittsburgh.