The Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to move on from starting quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason felt like a no-brainer, especially after his disastrous end to 2024. The team lost its final five starts, ending with the blowout loss to the Ravens in the AFC Wildcard round. Aaron Rodgers was brought in to replace him, while Wilson moved on to be the New York Giants' new QB.
Based on their Week 1 performances, the Steelers looked like geniuses for the swap. Rodgers led a 34-32 victory over his former employer in the New York Jets, while the Giants' offense sputtered in a 21-6 beatdown at the hands of the Washington Commanders. Week 2, however, saw the script flip entirely.
Wilson put up 450 passing yards in a 40-37 shootout loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the second-highest total of his storied career. Rodgers, meanwhile, had a rough outing as the Steelers fell 31-17 to Wilson's original team in the Seattle Seahawks.
Giants fans were hopeful that Wilson could continue to play well and allow rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart to sit and learn on the bench, but Week 3 turned into an embarrassing reminder of where Wilson's career stands at 37 years old.
Pittsburgh Steelers' ex-QB Russell Wilson's career on life support after awful Week 3 showing
The Giants fell 22-9 to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday night, and Wilson's performance was a problem, to say the least. He finished 18 of 32 passes for just 160 yards, with two interceptions to boot. It was a tough watch for fans who were starting to believe in him after his Week 2 breakout, and now his status as the team's starter is in jeopardy.
Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Giants Coach Brian Daboll is leaving the door open to a change at QB, saying specifically that they are evaluating everything when it comes to the position.
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While I personally believe that sending Dart out there could potentially be bad for his development, I understand the frustration from both the fans and the New York coaching staff. Wilson was supposed to bring stability to the position, but instead, he has been maddeningly inconsistent. It was that same inconsistency that led to his departure from his last three stops, including Pittsburgh last season.
Perhaps they could see what Jameis Winston could do with their talented pass catchers, but he is even more erratic than Wilson. It would be more exciting for a few games, but we know it would ultimately lead to Dart being given the job anyway.
Daboll and General Manager Joe Schoen are in serious danger of being sent packing if they don't start stacking wins, but going with the rookie likely won't help in that regard. What it could do, however, is but them time if Dart plays well in Daboll's offense.
It would likely mean the end of Wilson's career as a starting QB in the NFL, but there is little he has left to prove. He is a Super Bowl champion, multiple-time Pro Bowler, and one of the most efficient passers in NFL history. It would be an unceremonious end to an incredible career, but that looks like where things are heading just three weeks into the season.