One of the most anticipated revenge matchups of the 2024 NFL schedule won’t come to fruition.
When the league’s regular-season slate was released in May, many circled the Week 2 showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos. The tilt was set to mark Russell Wilson’s return to square off against Sean Payton just six months after he was unceremoniously released to cap a rocky two-year tenure with the franchise.
But after sitting out the Steelers’ season-opening win due to a calf injury, Wilson again is inactive for Sunday’s highly anticipated game.
Here’s what we know about Wilson’s status and the Steelers’ plans at quarterback:
Russell Wilson injury updates: Latest on QB’s outlook
Wilson will again serve as the team’s emergency quarterback option, as he did in the opener.
All things Steelers: Latest Pittsburgh Steelers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.
On Tuesday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin revealed that his team was preparing as though Justin Fields would start against the Broncos. Tomlin kept the door open on Friday for Wilson to play by listing him as questionable. But his explanation of the designation reinforced that Fields has the inside track to take the reins.
‘So, obviously if his availability is questionable, then starting is less so,’ Tomlin told reporters. ‘But we’ve been in that mindset all week. Like I’ve said, we’ve been focused on getting Justin (Fields) ready to play, and we’ll continue in that mindset as we push forward toward game time.’
Wilson maintained optimism this week that he could make his way into the lineup soon.
‘I feel like I’m getting closer and closer,’ Wilson said Thursday, according to ESPN. ‘I’m just trying to be smart and got to do a lot of work today on the field and everything else, throwing and all that, so just trying to be smart.’
Wilson served as the emergency quarterback for the Steelers’ win over the Falcons and could return to the role if he’s not yet fully ready to play.
Fields completed 17 of 23 passes for 153 yards against Atlanta, but Pittsburgh settled for six field goals in the 18-10 victory.
Russell Wilson’s Broncos split revisited
Wilson was released by Denver in March, just days before his 2025 salary of $37 million was set to become fully guaranteed. His $39 million salary for this season was already locked in.
In moving on from Wilson, the Broncos incurred a record $85 million dead cap hit.
Wilson joined the franchise to great fanfare in March 2022 after the Seattle Seahawks traded him in exchange for three players and a package of picks that included two first-round selections and two second-round choices. But his debut season proved calamitous from the outset, with the nine-time Pro Bowl selection posting a career-worst 84.4 passer rating and first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett getting fired in December after going 4-11.
Payton took the helm the following season and criticized the previous regime’s handling of the veteran signal-caller. While Wilson’s play rebounded, Payton benched him for the final two weeks of the season. The coach maintained the decision was strictly driven by football considerations, though news later emerged that the team approached Wilson during a midseason bye about restructuring his contract and delaying the date at which point his injury guarantee for 2025 would become a full guarantee.