With reports surfacing around the Pittsburgh Steelers that the team traded quarterback Kenny Pickett in part because of his poor reaction to the team signing Russell Wilson, the latter quarterback’s response to the Steelers acquiring Justin Fields was going to be noteworthy.

Less than two hours after Fields joined the Steelers, Wilson expressed his excitement on X (formerly Twitter) about Fields coming to Pittsburgh.

Let’s get it @justnfields!
QB room bout to be 🔥 🔥 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Vz4R7ZFArO

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 17, 2024

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on March 16 that the Steelers acquired Fields from the Chicago Bears for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the selection will become a fourth-round choice if Fields plays 51% of the team’s offensive snaps in 2024.

The Steelers landed Fields just six days after agreeing to a contract with Wilson. Pittsburgh also traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles on March 15.

Wilson Sent Similar Message to Kenny Pickett
It’s not surprising Wilson reacted the way he did to the Fields trade. In his Steelers introductory press conference, Wilson had a similar positive response to potential competition with Pickett.

Wilson told reporters that he texted Pickett after agreeing to sign in Pittsburgh.

“Talked to [Pickett] a little bit,” Wilson said. “Every day we go out there, let’s be the best version of ourselves and try to make this team better. So, that was cool.”

But Pickett wasn’t on board. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported Pickett cancelled a workout with teammates the day after Wilson agreed to his deal.

Also in his press conference, Wilson hyped himself as a team-first player. That hasn’t necessarily been his reputation over the past couple years, but Wilson has been saying and tweeting all the right things through the first week of his Steelers tenure.

That was the case after the Fields trade too.

“Now, maybe some believe that Wilson’s buttoned-up, we-not-me approach is just an elaborate act,” The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly wrote. “Surely, many fans in Seattle and Denver would tell you it is. But even if it is, it’s very convincing, including to other players.”

Mike Tomlin Assures Russell Wilson He Will Start for Steelers
Wilson stressed that he looked forward to a potential competition with Pickett. But interestingly, the Steelers don’t plan on Wilson and Fields competing for the starting job in 2024.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Wilson will be the Steelers starter this fall. Rapoport confirmed that on March 17.

“Coach Mike Tomlin reached out to Russell Wilson last night when the trade was going down to let him know he was the starter,” Rapoport tweeted. “Tomlin views that as the plan.”

Speaking of Justin Fields and the #Steelers trade, coach Mike Tomlin reached out to Russell Wilson last night when the trade was going down to let him know he was the starter. @TomPelissero said it last night, and Tomlin views that as the plan. Fields will compete, regardless.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2024

The Steelers will have to decide by May 2 whether to pick up Fields’ fifth-year option. Dulac tweeted that the Steelers are “extremely unlikely’ to do that. He also added that the Steelers “intend to do a longer deal” at the end of the season with Wilson.

Of course, a new Wilson deal is probably contingent on how the upcoming season goes.

Wilson will turn 36 in November. He agreed to a league minimum contract for $1.2 million for 2024 because the Broncos are still paying him.

But that won’t be the case in 2025. The Steelers will very likely have to pay full market value on Wilson’s next deal.