Justin Fields’ reign as the Steelers starter continues.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Russell Wilson would see his practice participation “pick up some” this week, meaning Fields will almost assuredly be under center for a fifth straight start in Week 5’s matchup with the Cowboys.
Fields, in his first season with the Steelers after spending the first three years of his pro career with the Bears, has guided Pittsburgh to a 3-1 record while accumulating 830 passing yards for three touchdowns to one interception, adding 145 rushing yards and three TDs on the ground.
In a Week 4 loss to the Colts, Fields became the first player in Steelers history to post 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and two rushing scores in a single game, per ESPN Research.
The 25-year-old’s success comes as Wilson — also acquired by the Steelers in the offseason — was named the starter to open the season, but the veteran has been hampered by a calf issue that’s kept him from suiting up.
Even when Wilson is ready to play, Tomlin may not be so quick to turn the keys over to the 35-year-old.
“There’s a potential for that, but we’re not there, as I stand here today,” Tomlin told reporters, adding that Fields’ strong play could affect the team’s approach to activating Wilson.
“It potentially could, but it has not to this point,” Tomlin said. “The guiding factor for us at this point is the amount of ball that we have in front of us, how early we are in this process. That’s probably been one of the significant variables in terms of our approach to his rehabilitation.”
While Wilson is ramping up his practice work, though Tomlin did not provide any further clarity on when he expects the ex-Broncos star to officially return.
“We’ll see how he feels in the morning, and we’ll let that be our guide in terms of his participation,” Tomlin said. “But it seems like he’s in a place where his participation is going to pick up some in terms of a practice setting in a live pocket. We won’t draw too many conclusions, but we’ll just start that process, and we’ll comb through that day by day, evaluate his ability to move and function and protect himself, and obviously, evaluate his level of productivity.”
Until then, it’s Fields’ job to continue winning.
