PITTSBURGH – On a chilly Monday night in Pittsburgh, fans at Acrisure Stadium were anything but quiet as they watched the Steelers’ offense stumble early in the second quarter. The team had just logged its third consecutive three-and-out, and the home crowd made their displeasure known with loud boos. Their frustration wasn’t hidden; chants for Justin Fields echoed through the stadium, making it clear who the crowd held responsible for the sluggish start—Russell Wilson.
His early-game struggles, marked by missed throws and inconsistency, put him in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
However, fast forward two hours and a scoreboard displaying 34 unanswered points, the same fans were belting out lyrics to Biz Markie and Mac Miller in celebration.
Wilson had shaken off his slow start to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to an emphatic 37-15 victory over the New York Jets, setting franchise records in the process for passing yards and points scored in a debut game.
Wilson’s highly anticipated regular-season debut with the Steelers didn’t initially go as planned. He wrapped up the game with a solid 264 passing yards and three total touchdowns, but the first quarter told a different story.
Struggling to find his rhythm, Wilson completed only 2 of his first 6 passes, amassing just 19 yards. His first notable completion—a 15-yard pass to Darnell Washington—did little to shift the momentum.
The team’s third-down efficiency in that quarter was a dismal 0-of-3, and many of Wilson’s passes either landed short or sailed wildly out of reach as the Jets’ pass rush closed in relentlessly.
But things took a sharp turn. Over the final three quarters, Wilson found his groove. He completed 14 of 23 attempts, racking up an additional 245 yards. His completion percentage shot up from 33% in the first quarter to 60% by the end of the game.
This dramatic improvement showcased the veteran quarterback’s ability to adapt and adjust under pressure.
Head coach Mike Tomlin took note of Wilson’s performance, praising his poise. “I thought he was excellent,” Tomlin remarked after the game.
“He got better as the game went on, and that’s exactly what we expected. It had been a while since he played, but once he knocked off the rust, he distributed the ball well and led the team to a great win.”
Handling the Pressure and the Boos
Wilson was fully aware of the fans’ early-game frustration. Reflecting on the boos that echoed through Acrisure Stadium, he admitted hearing them but emphasized his commitment to staying mentally steady.
“I believe in staying neutral—never too high, never too low,” Russell Wilson explained. His mental toughness was evident as he recalled the advice of his late mental conditioning coach, Trevor Moawad, who encouraged him to “Stay the course.”
This mindset helped Russell Wilson recover from a shaky first quarter, where the offense struggled to gain any traction.
The veteran quarterback compared his initial struggles to a baseball player starting 0-for-2 at the plate. But, as he put it, “I felt like I was going to get hot.”
And indeed, he did. Once Wilson caught his rhythm, the game took on a completely different tone. “You catch the wave, and once you find it, you don’t let go,” Wilson said confidently. “The biggest thing is knowing who you are and believing in yourself. For me, it was just about finding that flow, and once I did, everything clicked.”
The Turning Point: Pickens and Wilson Connection
For Wilson, the pivotal moment came just before halftime. With 27 seconds left on the clock, he connected with wide receiver George Pickens for their first touchdown of the season, a play that ignited both the offense and the crowd. That touchdown, Wilson recalled, was the spark he needed.
“Throwing that first touchdown to George was a game-changer. I knew there would be a lot more of those moments,” Wilson shared.
Drawing a parallel to baseball, he likened it to hitting a home run or getting that first solid double. The key, Wilson emphasized, was trusting in the process and the hard work put in by the team. “At some point, it’s all going to come together, and tonight it did.”
And Wilson wasn’t wrong. Following that initial score, he found the end zone two more times. One of those touchdowns came on a 1-yard sneak, while the other was a 4-yard pass to wide receiver Van Jefferson, marking Jefferson’s first touchdown of the season.
Tomlin’s Decision to Start Wilson Pays Off
The decision to start Russell Wilson over Justin Fields was a talking point before and after the game. Fields had posted a solid 4-2 record in six starts while Wilson recovered from a calf injury sustained during training camp.
However, head coach Mike Tomlin stood firmly by his choice, taking full ownership of the decision. When asked by former NFL wide receiver and Pittsburgh native Brandon Marshall if this was his “boldest” move yet, Tomlin humorously replied, “That’s why I’m well compensated.”
Wilson, for his part, downplayed any potential friction in the locker room surrounding the quarterback decision. He spoke highly of Fields, praising his performance and leadership abilities.
“Justin has been playing great, and he inspires me every day. He’s a franchise quarterback, a leader, and a tremendous talent. Whatever I can do to support him, I will,” Wilson said. He also squashed any rumors of internal strife, emphasizing that the team’s focus is singular: winning.
“We’re all about winning. There’s a lot of noise outside, but internally, we just want to win. That’s what it’s all about,” Wilson added.
Wilson and Pickens: A Dynamic Duo in the Making
One of the most exciting developments from the game was the growing connection between Wilson and George Pickens.
The two combined for 111 yards on five catches, with Pickens showcasing his ability to locate deep balls and Wilson demonstrating his pre-snap awareness.
“Me locating the ball downfield and Russ’ pre-read before he says hike—it just clicks,” Pickens said after the game.
Wilson’s deep passing game was a highlight, with 5 of 6 attempts on passes traveling at least 10 air yards. These throws averaged an impressive 24.8 yards per attempt.
Wilson also went 3-of-4 for 92 yards and a touchdown when targeting Pickens on deep routes, showing early signs of a potentially lethal partnership.
Looking Ahead: Optimism for the Future
In the aftermath of their commanding victory, the Steelers have every reason to be optimistic. With Russell Wilson at the helm, the offense showed flashes of brilliance, and the connection between Wilson and his receivers—especially Pickens—offers a glimpse into what the future might hold for this team.
“I think we’re just having fun,” Wilson said after the game. “Coach Tomlin believes in us, and we trust him. We know what we’re capable of, and we love being part of the process. It’s exciting to see it all come together.”
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the sky seems to be the limit as they move forward with Wilson leading the charge.
