Mark Madden: Steelers can't escape a quarterback controversy

Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ben Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls and is a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After that, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback history gets a little murky.

The Steelers cut Johnny Unitas, who might be the best quarterback ever.

They passed on drafting Dan Marino, who might be the best quarterback ever.

Now this.

What the heck is going on at quarterback?

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Neither quarterback is that good. The team’s ceiling is low no matter who starts.

But Russell Wilson came to Pittsburgh because he was promised a chance to start. He was in the “pole position.”

This is Wilson’s last chance at restarting his career. That’s why he’s said and done all the right things since arriving. Like he’s running for office. He left his prima donna costume in Denver.

Now, after not throwing a pass in a competitive game, Wilson seems on the verge of being Justin Fields’ backup.

Perhaps Wilson is still too hurt. But during Tuesday’s weekly dispersal of word-drool, coach Mike Tomlin had two chances to say Wilson would start when healthy, and he didn’t.

Don’t forget Wilson injured his calf pushing a blocking sled as part of a conditioning test at the start of camp. Why would a 35-year-old quarterback be told to push a sled? That was at the behest of new strength coach Phil Matusz, who should be the former strength coach after that.

Is Wilson mad? He couldn’t be blamed if he were.

But is Wilson 100%? Until we know that he is, but still not playing, the waters are cloudy. (Here’s betting Wilson finds a way to let us know.)

If Fields becomes the starter on the current accelerated timetable, it reflects the shallowness of Tomlin’s coaching acumen.

Fields won, so he plays. That’s the reasoning. Full stop.

Fields is going to win at Denver, too, beating Wilson’s former team while Wilson stews.

Might Wilson pull a Kenny Pickett and refuse to dress as a backup come Sunday? The plot thickens.

Fields was a first-round bust in Chicago, wasting three seasons there. He didn’t become a rookie again upon arrival in Pittsburgh. He doesn’t get to wipe the slate clean.

But that’s the prevalent approach, as too many talk about Fields’ potential, “superstar in the making,” blah, blah, blah.

Fields did win at Atlanta. He rushed for 57 yards, and the threat of his legs backed off Atlanta’s pass rush.

But other than that, he was meh.

Fields posted a Pickett-style passing line: 17 for 23, 156 yards, no interceptions. Ultra conservative.

He posted a Pickett-style heat map: No passes in the middle of the field. Ultra safe. (Sure, Atlanta has great safeties. But not one single throw between the numbers? Yikes.)

There’s zero reason to fall in love with Fields as the result of that performance. But maybe Tomlin did. Because Fields won.

Tomlin would have no problem breaking a promise to Wilson. He’s reneged before: Ask Mitch Trubisky, LeGarrette Blount, James Harrison or Melvin Ingram. It’s amazing players say they want to play for Tomlin given his track record.

Coaches break promises all the time. No big deal.

It would just be nice if it led to a playoff win occasionally.

The worst part about the Steelers’ quarterback controversy is that before Wilson’s injury, one didn’t exist. But it was fabricated anyway.

Now it exists, and we’ll be mired in it all season. Like quicksand. No escape.