Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, Russell Wilson made it clear that he wants to remain the team’s full-time starting quarterback. While acknowledging the strength of the coaching staff and praising teammate Justin Fields, Wilson emphasized his competitive drive, saying, “I always want to be in there. That’s just the competitor in me. But at the same time, we have great trust in Justin, our team, our coaches, and everything we’re doing.”
Despite trailing 18-6 in the fourth quarter, Wilson led the Steelers on two consecutive touchdown drives in snowy conditions, giving Pittsburgh a one-point lead. However, after an interception by cornerback Donte Jackson with just over four minutes remaining, Fields entered the game to help run out the clock and secure the win. Unfortunately, the strategy failed, as Pittsburgh’s drive stalled and the Browns scored the game-winning touchdown on the subsequent possession. Wilson returned for the final drive but was unable to reach the end zone with just 50 seconds left in regulation.
After the game, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin clarified that the weather did not influence his decision to insert Fields into the game. “No, I don’t think the weather was a factor,” Tomlin said. “We had intentions on using him and we did. I don’t know that the weather conditions were a factor in that decision-making.”
Fields, who started the first six games of the season and led the Steelers to a 4-2 record, has seen limited playing time in recent weeks as Wilson, recovering from a calf injury, took over as the starter in Week 7. Wilson has since completed 63.1% of his passes for 1,212 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions.
While Tomlin may continue to deploy both quarterbacks, Wilson has made his preference clear: he wants to remain Pittsburgh’s primary quarterback for the remainder of the season.