The Pittsburgh Steelers are prepared to give Russell Wilson starting reps ahead of Sunday's Week 7 matchup with the New York Jets, despite starting 4-2 with Justin Fields at quarterback. Steelers great Ben Roethlisberger, meanwhile, thinks Pittsburgh would be better off standing pat.
"All in all, I would absolutely not even think about taking [Fields] out of the game right now," Roethlisberger said on his "FootbahIin" podcast. "I would keep him in there. And even if he has a bad game, I would keep him in there. Because right now, they're rolling. I think he's playing well enough ... with his legs especially.
"It's good to know what you have at the backup [spot]," Roethlisberger continued, "and Russ is there if you need him. I think what you're gonna get from Russ is more pocket presence to throw the ball down the field. But you're not gonna get that extend-the-play [ability] like Justin does. ... He's a running back back there when he decides to run. He's a really talented runner."
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has yet to declare an official starter for Week 7. He hinted Tuesday that Wilson would be in line to claim the top job, however, after a calf injury effectively removed him from a preseason competition, forcing Fields to take over to start the 2024 season.
"Justin has been really good, and we've been really good at times, but not to be confused with great," Tomlin told reporters. "We're trying to position ourselves to be that team. ... Justin has been an asset to us. ... We're just looking at all the people at our disposal."