Quarterback Russell Wilson is set for a fresh start with Pittsburgh after a tumultuous pair of seasons with Denver.
In an interview with Okla Jones of Essence released on Wednesday, Wilson noted just how excited he is to begin the next chapter of his career with the Steelers, especially considering who their head coach is.
“To play 13 years in the NFL has been a dream come true,” Wilson said, adding “to be able to play for Mike Tomlin; to stand side by side with him and try to accomplish all the goals that I want to accomplish with the Steelers organization, and what that represents for the NFL, is one of the greatest gifts in the world.”
Wilson, who was the second Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl when he and the Seahawks defeated the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, also said that he feels like his success helped create some opportunities for players who are excelling now — like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and C.J. Stroud.
“For me to be able to go to back-to-back Super Bowls, and win one of them, I think opened up a lot of doors,” Wilson said. “Now you see guys like Patrick Mahomes who won it; it’s really just us so far, but there’s more to come.
“What I love to see is guys getting drafted early, and that a lot of teams these days have Black quarterbacks playing for them. … It’s all across the league, and it’s showing how the National Football League is starting to evolve, change, and break down barriers. I think one of the biggest blessings of my career so far is that I’ve been fortunate to be able to open up doors for others, because of what others did for me.”
Wilson threw for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 15 games for the Broncos last year. Tomlin has said Wilson is in “pole position” to be Pittsburgh’s starting QB over Justin Fields as the Steelers get ready to begin their offseason program later this month.
