It didn't take long for Russell Wilson to enter the Steelers' record book. During Pittsburgh's 37-15 win over the New York Jets, Wilson threw for the most yards ever for a starting quarterback making his Steelers debut.
On Sunday night, Wilson threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns on 16 of 29 passing. According to NBC Sports, Wilson broke the mark that was previously held by Earl Morral, who threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns during his Steelers debut that took place way back on September 29, 1957 (the Steelers beat Washington that day, 28-7, in case you were wondering).
There's some irony in Wilson breaking a record held by Morral in a game that was played against the Jets. Morrall was the Colts' starting quarterback when the Jets shocked the Colts in Super Bowl III in what is considered to be the greatest upset in pro football history. Morrall was on the wrong side of history that night, but he made up for it later in his career by helping the Colts win the Super Bowl two years later. He then went 10-0 (including the playoffs) in relief of injured quarterback Bob Griese during the 1972 Dolphins' perfect season.
Like Morral, Wilson is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has enjoyed a long, fruitful career. On Sunday night, Wilson showed that he still has something left in the tank after many questioned Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's decision to start Wilson over Justin Fields, who was solid in relief of Wilson while helping guide Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start.
Wilson wasn't perfect against the Jets. He was actually just 8 of 17 in the the first half and at one point led three drives that ended in three-and-outs. But, as Wilson showed on Pittsburgh's fifth drive, he still has one of the best touch passes in the NFL, as his 44-yard completion to George Pickens helped set up the Steelers' second score of the night.
That completion seemed to ignite a spark in Wilson and the Steelers' offense. After falling behind 15-6, the Steelers ended the game with 31 unanswered points, with Wilson accounting for three of those scores. He threw touchdown passes to Pickens and fellow wideout Van Jefferson while also scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run.
Wilson also showcased his accuracy on this dime to tight end Pat Freiermuth that helped set up Pittsburgh's go-ahead score.
Wilson was aided all night by a defense that recorded two picks of Aaron Rodgers (that the offense turned into 14 points), a special teams unit that recorded its ninth blocked kick since 2022 (the most in the NFL over that span), an offensive line that provided sturdy protection and a running game that churned out 149 yards, with Najee Harris leading the way with his second straight 100-yard outing.
Wilson was clearly happy with Sunday's outcome, as the Steelers played complementary football while beating a team that was favored to beat them. He was quick to add, though, that as good as Pittsburgh looked on Sunday, they are far from being a finished product.
"We're capable of a lot, together," Wilson said during his postgame interview with NBC Sports. "We left a lot on the table. There's a lot more to go get. We know that, and we believe that. We're just going to keep getting better."