Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson was limited in practice Thursday due to a calf injury, three days before Pittsburgh’s season opener on Sept. 8 against the Atlanta Falcons.
Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters the strain was in the same right calf that Wilson suffered at the start of training camp in July. He said Wilson will likely undergo further tests “out of an abundance of caution.”
When asked if backup Justin Fields would be willing to play against the Falcons if Wilson is unable to play, Tomlin expressed confidence.
“If that’s the case, I definitely feel very comfortable,” Tomlin said.
Wilson did not speak to reporters. He was originally scheduled to be available to the media on Thursday, but this was postponed to Friday.
Who will start in week 1?
Wilson and Fields both joined the Steelers this offseason after Pittsburgh parted ways with 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett. Their duel was one of the most exciting of the preseason after both arrived as starters for their previous teams.
Wilson, 35, is a former Pro Bowler who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks before struggling for two years as a starter with the Denver Broncos. Fields, 25, started three seasons with the Chicago Bears after they selected him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The Bears traded Fields to the Steelers in the offseason before selecting quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the draft in April.
Tomlin said in March that Wilson was in “pole position” for the starting job, but there would be an open competition between the two quarterbacks. Tomlin waited until the end of the Steelers’ training camp and preseason before naming Wilson the team’s starter on Aug. 28. Days later, Wilson’s teammates voted him team captain.
Now, three days before the season opener, Wilson’s availability for Sunday is uncertain, raising the possibility that Fields could be Pittsburgh’s starter in Week 1.
