Just days after officially earning the starting job in Pittsburgh, Russell Wilson was named captain of the Steelers for his first season with the franchise.
Wilson was named Monday as one of the Steelers’ four captains this season, along with Miles Killebrew, Cam Heyward and TJ Watt. The Steelers typically elect their starting quarterback as one of the team’s captains each season. Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky were captains in recent years when they were starters, and Ben Roethlisberger was a captain for nearly every season he played under Tomlin.
“He’s a strong leader and he brings veteran experience,” Killebrew said of Wilson, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor“He’s been doing this at a high level for a long time, and I think with that experience, he calms nerves and he can guide guys through different situations because he’s seen it. He’s seen a lot of things, so a calming presence, I would say.”
Wilson signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract to join the Steelers earlier this offseason. The 35-year-old spent the last two years with the Denver Broncos, where he was also a team captain, before they released him in March. Wilson threw for 3,070 yards and had 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions with the Broncos last season, although they went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season.
Wilson signed with the Steelers just one day after the team acquired former Chicago Bears starter Justin Fields. The two quarterbacks have been battling for the starting job throughout training camp, but Wilson was officially named the team’s starter on Wednesday.
“Russ’s CVAnd “He’s unique in terms of his accomplishments and his success, and that tends to play a role in the decision-making, but not from the decision-maker’s perspective,” Tomlin said Wednesday, via ESPN. “That’s just the fruit of his labor. He’s seen a lot and done a lot, and I think that’s reflected in the way he’s played and handled himself.”
Wilson briefly appeared in two preseason games for the Steelers. He completed 10 of 12 passes for 73 yards and did not throw a touchdown. Fields appeared in three games.
Wilson’s first game of the season will be Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. The Steelers went 10-7 last season and made the playoffs before being eliminated in the wild-card round for the third time in the last four years.