Russell Wilson Grateful for Time with Steelers: ‘Pittsburgh Was a Good Place for Me'
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson runs out of the tunnel before a game against the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 8, 2024. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Despite things not working out, Russell Wilson has had nothing but good things to say about the Pittsburgh Steelers organization since departing to New York. He was complimentary of the Steelers during his introductory press conference with the Giants in March, and he had similar sentiments during a recent interview on 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony.
'Pittsburgh was a good place for me,' Wilson said. 'It really helped rejuvenate me in every way because of the locker room there, the pros, guys like T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward, guys like Miles Killebrew, those captains. And then just the guys I was around, the hard work those guys put in.
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'I remember seeing a guy like Calvin Austin III, young star, who just wanted to be great, came to San Diego, wanted to work with me. Just guys that I really appreciate. Guys like Najee Harris and how he went about practicing hard every day. Different guys you get to know, teammates like Dan Moore, who I got to be really close with, and many others.'
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson at practice for the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games on Feb. 1, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
Wilson signed a one-year deal worth up to $21 million, including $10.5 million guaranteed with the Giants this offseason.
Wilson, 36, spent the 2024 season with the Steelers in what was a tale of two halves. After returning from a calf injury in Week 7, Wilson helped rattle off six wins in seven games. But his play took a downturn on the team's five-game losing streak to end the season.
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During that span, the Steelers failed to score more than 17 points in every game, a streak that hasn't occurred since Chuck Noll's first season in 1969. It's safe to say that left a sour taste in the Steelers mouths and played a role in Wilson not returning.
Wilson reportedly also didn't see eye to eye with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
In February, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Smith did not want Russell Wilson changing plays at the line of scrimmage despite the QB's big game in the Week 13 win over Cincinnati. The Steelers scored a season-high 44 points against the Bengals and Wilson posted an impressive 414 yards passing to go along with three touchdown passes.
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger confirmed on his Footbahlin podcast with Pat McAfee that Smith was not fond of Wilson changing play at the line of scrimmage.
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'Arthur Smith has to understand he has to let the quarterback have some rein,' Roethlisberger said. 'I was told he really pulled the reins back on Russ. In the two-minute drill, wouldn't let Russ call his own plays. You have to let a quarterback do that stuff.'
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Russell Wilson Grateful for Time with Steelers: 'Pittsburgh Was a Good Place for Me'
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