Russell Wilson being ‘strategic’ about availability for Denver game
Sep 12, 2024, 1:50 PM | Updated: 1:50 pm
Many in Broncos Country had Week 2 circled on their calendars, not just for Denver’s home-opener but as the return of Russell Wilson to Mile High however the new Pittsburg Steelers quarterback may not be available come Sunday.
Wilson missed the Steelers season debut in Week 1 as he sat with a calf injury. After getting released from his mega contract with the Broncos, Wilson was one of two high-profile quarterbacks to join the Steelers this offseason but he won the job over former first-round pick Justin Fields.
In spelling Wilson in an 18-10 win over Atlanta, Fields was 17-of-23 for 156 yards and he also picked up 57 yards on the ground. He did not have a touchdown or turnover.
“Anyone who knows me knows I want to go and play, I believe you have to play dinged up sometimes,” Wilson said on Thursday. “But I think we’re being smart, it’s early in the season, this isn’t one of the last games of the season—I think I would go if it were that kind of thing.”
“With this being so early in the season I want to be strategic, we believe in our football team and try not to rush it.”
Russell Wilson said he believes you have to play nicked up sometimes, as he’s done before, but “with this being so early in the season, I also want to be strategic.” pic.twitter.com/1I7Be19q4A
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) September 12, 2024
Wilson has been injured many times in his career, including sitting a Week 7 game in 2022 when he was with Denver. But because he’s returning to Denver this week and he’s touch and go with his status some will say the quarterback is dodging what promises to be a very hostile environment.
The Broncos went 11-19 with Wilson as the starter, not good enough to live up to his five-year $245 million deal. Sean Payton was brought in to solve some of the issues from Wilson’s first year but the coach benched the quarterback by season’s end.
“He feels better today than he did over the weekend,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said about Wilson earlier this week. “What that means, I don’t know as we sit here today… We’ll be analyzing whether he’s capable of protecting himself, whether he’s capable of being productive…Speculation is a waste of time. Russ is hurt. He’s not available to us. As you know, as a general practice, I focus my energy on those that are available and their readiness.”
