Russell Wilson wants to play in Friday’s preseason opener. He won’t.
Instead, the Steelers starting quarterback will have to be content with the work he’s getting at practice.
Wilson, who injured his calf in a conditioning test before the first practice, is back working in team drills.
“I’m feeling great,” Wilson said Wednesday, via Teresa Varley of the team website. “Just to be fully in practice and involved and doing everything. I’ve been involved in doing all the drills and everything for the past seven, eight days, however many days it has been. But to be fully in there with the team drills, everything else, it feels great.”
Wilson was limited for the start of camp and only recently cleared for 11-on-11 drills.
That’s why Justin Fields, and not Wilson, will start against the Texans in two days.
“I always want to play,” Wilson said. “Anytime you get the strap on the pads, it’s a blessing. Whether it’s preseason or if it’s regular season, obviously which matters a lot more, or in the postseason, which is even more important, just be out there with your teammates and everything else.
“The good thing is I get to take everything in and just learn and be in that stadium for the first time. I can’t wait. It’s going to be amazing to be in Acrisure Stadium wearing the black and gold.”
Wilson said he does not know what the plan is for the rest of the preseason. Some preseasons he has played. Some he has not.
Wilson, 35, has made 188 regular-season starts and another 16 in the postseason.
He played 20 preseason snaps in the Broncos’ first preseason game last year and 12 in the second before sitting out the third.
“I’m prepared to play. It’s whatever coach [Mike Tomlin] decides,” Wilson said. “He’s the boss man. He gets to make the decisions on that, but I’ll be ready to go.”