Justin Fields to start at QB, play 'couple of series' in Steelers' preseason opener

The NFL’s reduction from four to three preseason games in 2021 naturally led to reduced playing time for veteran players.

For Russell Wilson, that meant getting zero snaps in the 2021-22 preseasons, his last year with the Seattle Seahawks and first with the Denver Broncos.

The script changed last season for Wilson, who suited up and played in the first two preseason games for Denver.

“I always want to play,” he said.

Wilson is optimistic about getting some snaps this preseason with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It just won’t happen this week when the Steelers face the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Coach Mike Tomlin announced Wednesday that Justin Fields will start and play a “couple of series” when the Steelers open preseason play Friday night.

Wilson, whose practice debut was delayed by a calf injury sustained on the day the Steelers reported to training camp, is one of seven players that Tomlin said will sit out the opener. He is, however, optimistic he can get some game snaps before the start of the regular season Sept. 8 at Atlanta.

Wilson’s best chance to play will come Aug. 17 against Buffalo. Tomlin historically has withheld his veteran players from the preseason finale, which is Aug. 24 at Detroit.

“I’m prepared to play, I know that,” Wilson said. “Whatever coach’s decision … he’s the boss and makes the decision on that, but I’ll be ready to go.”

Last season, Wilson played 20 snaps in the preseason opener and 12 in the second game. Those were 32 more snaps than he took in the previous two preseasons when he finished up his tenure in Seattle before being traded to Denver.

Still, there was no correlation between his inactivity and his start to the regular season. In 2021, he had 254 yards passing and had four touchdowns while compiling a 152.3 passer rating in the season opener for Seattle. The following season, he threw for 340 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Denver’s opener.

And in 2023, following those two preseason appearances, Wilson had just 177 yards passing, but he also had two touchdowns and didn’t throw an interception.

“This is nothing new,” Wilson said. “I’ve been fortunate to play about 200 games. I know the look of it. I know the speed of it.”

Wilson and Fields continued to split the first-team snaps in practice Tuesday, when the Steelers donned pads for the final time before the preseason opener.

“Russ is not an easy guy to keep back and hold down,” quarterbacks coach Tom Arth said. “We want him out there just as badly as he wants to be out there.”

Wilson injured his calf during the team’s conditioning test. He did not throw his first pass in 11-on-11 activity until Sunday and didn’t take his first significant first-team reps until Tuesday.

“The good thing is I was able to be in practice and get the quarterback work, do the drills early on and be in it every day versus sitting the whole time,” he said. “That got me prepared for being back out there.”

With Wilson sidelined, Fields has gotten the work under center with the first-team offense. Wilson’s status as the starter, however, has not changed.

After the Steelers signed Wilson in March, Tomlin said the 35-year-old quarterback had the “pole position,” and Wilson was listed as the first-string passer on the depth chart Tomlin released Tuesday.

“That is real,” Tomlin said.

Fields will get a chance to close the gap that exists between himself and Wilson when he faces a Texans team that already has played a preseason game.

“Everything is an audition,” Tomlin said. “Everything we do is an audition not only for him but for others. … (It) very much is a competition. What happens in stadium is weighted heavier than what happens in a practice setting because it’s more game-like.”

The Steelers acquired Fields in a trade after the Chicago Bears elected to go with a fresh start at quarterback with No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams. Tomlin liked the way the fourth-year veteran handled the competition through the spring workouts and the first two weeks of training camp.

“I think he comes to compete every day,” Tomlin said. “He’s got an awesome competitive spirit. We’ve got a competitive environment, and it seems like he is enjoying it. He has done a really good job of acclimating himself to it and his teammates and letting his talent show.”