Let me start off by saying that I’ve been a Pittsburgh Steelers fan for as long as I’ve been alive. My support goes all the way back to the days of th Immaculate Reception, through four Super Bowls in the 1970’s, two more Super Bowls a decade ago, James Harrison running a 100-yard Pick 6 against Arizona in SB 43, every 50-yard field goal made by Chris “Wizard of Boz” Boswell, and all that entails from those decades.
That being said … it’s extremely rare for the Steelers to sign any superstars from outside the organization to join the team. We hire from within. We pull our team from the draft. We get our stars from trades.
And as for quarterbacks … well, considering we’ve had two long-running superstars in Terry Bradshaw and that more recent guy … there’s really been no need to bring someone in from another team as some sort of instant superstar playmaker. I mean, we’ve tried it before … and it’s had varying degrees of not-success (Tommy Maddox, Mike Tomczak, Mitch [excuse me, I have to vomit] Trubisky).
But this week, the Steelers received an offer they couldn’t refuse. They signed former Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson to a one-year, $1.2 million contract.
Renegade … Terrible Towels … he knows where he’s going.
He’ll most likely start the 2024-25 season, with current Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett going back to holding a clipboard and learning on the sidelines.
Trust me. Russell Wilson has game. He won a Super Bowl and was a hand-off away from winning a second one. He’s got a good understanding of game-day situations and a rifle for an arm.
And apparently he gets to keep his #3, as seen in this recent social media video.
And he’s coming in on a $1.2 million, one-year contract. That’s like finding out Taylor Swift will perform a personal concert for you for the cost of two cups of coffee.
How is this possible?
See, Wilson signed a ginormous $85-million contract with the Denver Broncos two years ago, and after two middling seasons in Denver, he and the Broncos parted ways. But the Broncos are still on the hook for the lion’s share of Wilson’s salary for the next two years, and I suspect that also includes performance bonuses and such. So Russell Wilson can play every snap for Pittsburgh and then wait for the check to clear from whatever savings and loan the Broncos bank with. Nice.
I’m actually more intrigued by the Steelers signing former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen. First, any time we can convince a quality player to leave the Ratbirds and join the Black and Gold is fine by me. Adding Patrick Queen to the Steelers will only make Pittsburgh stronger on defense and – when we play those slimy Ravens twice a year – guarantee Pittsburgh two more wins. 😀
You know what? I’m cautiously optimistic on the season. I thought the Steelers might try to make a move for Chicago’s Justin Fields, or for a round-the-block quarterback like Kirk Cousins or Gardner Minshew or Tyrod Taylor or some other castoff. Or maybe they would through Mason Rudolph back under center until he finally breaks in half.
But I’ll take Russell Wilson for one year. Look, we made the playoffs last season with an anemic offense and a roster that included players that came off the living room couch. We can only get stronger.
And there’s still the upcoming NFL draft. The Steelers get the #20 pick … maybe there’s a Markice Pouncey-like center available for us for the snatching.
Yoi and Double Yoi, my black and gold friends. We can do this. We will do this.
And if we do do this … just remember, Kansas City … you may have all the Swifties out there …
But our new QB pulled Ciara. He’s no slouch.
Chuck The Writer 
Chuck:
Unless Tyrod Taylor opted for free agency, the last I knew, he was still with the Giants. One year for Wilson makes sense, considering that there are people who think he was washed after his 1st season in Denver. They were better last year, but Wilson and Sean Payton didn’t get along, it seems.
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