[Here is the article:
There was a time not long ago when Russell Wilson’s career in the NFL looked to be coming to an end. A blockbuster 2022 trade had seen him switch the Seattle Seahawks for the Denver Broncos, where he signed a big-money contract. The prevailing thought was that he was the final piece in a Super Bowl-contending team.
But things quickly fell apart, and Wilson was released from his contract within two seasons, signing a measly deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson’s stock was at an all-time low after the move and he was in a battle with former Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields for the starter’s job in the preseason.
Though Wilson was named the starter before the regular season, an injury forced him out of the Steelers’ first six games, in which the team went 4-2 in his absence. Prospects for the Super Bowl SLVIII winner to even come back into the lineup looked increasingly dire.
But Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin made a gutsy call in Week 7, benching Fields and going with the 13-year veteran, despite questions from many. Since being introduced as QB1, Wilson has vindicated his coach and turned back the clock to his Seattle heyday.
The Steelers are now 10-3 and top of the AFC North with a playoff position all but assured. Wilson has recaptured some of the magic which made him a Super Bowl champion with the Seahawks and one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Ten years ago, Russell Wilson was the talk of the NFL. He had led the Seahawks to a dominant victory at Super Bowl 48, the franchise’s first ever title, in just his second year in the league… But things didn’t get much better for Denver and Wilson. The QB went 11-19 over his two seasons in Colorado, missing the playoffs both years.
At 36 years of age and with his play declining, was Wilson’s career over? Yet in what was once the heart of US steel manufacturing, the man born in Cincinnati – who flew high in the Pacific Northwest before crashing down to earth a mile up the mountains – was reforged.
Expectations for Wilson with the Steelers were low after his Denver stint. The move to Colorado is arguably one of the worst trades in NFL history, and Wilson signed a $1.2 million contract with Pittsburgh….Although named the starter ahead of the season, a calf injury sustained in practice ruled Wilson out of the opening five weeks before being healthy enough to be a backup in Week 6 and then starting Week 7 against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets….
Since then, Wilson has more than answered those questions. He threw for 264 yards, two touchdowns and ran in a score in Pittsburgh’s 37–15 victory over New York, which was the team’s second-highest scoring output of the season so far. He helped the Steelers rattle off three more wins before a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns in snowy conditions in Week 12.
…Tomlin said after the loss: “Russ has been in this thing a while. He’s not going to shrink in the face of adversity. He’s just seen too much… I thought he was steady, but equally as important, I thought he kept the group steady until we found our footing.”…
Source link
