When the Pittsburgh Steelers departed for Atlanta to face the Falcons in the Week 1 season-opener, we hoped that it was with a clean bill of health. Mike Tomlin's team saw their share of injuries in August as center Nate Herbig landed on season-ending IR and rookies Troy Fautanu and Roman Wilson were forced to miss preseason games.
Despite the Steelers' bumps and bruises, things were looking positive heading into their Week 1 road matchup... that was until Ian Rapoport dropped a bombshell on us.
The NFL Network insider reported that Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is dealing with 'calf tightness' and is getting 'checked out by doctors'.
Something to watch for Sunday: #Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that QB Russell Wilson reported some calf tightness and is going to get checked out by doctors. He was limited in practice.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 5, 2024
This isn't the news that fans wanted to hear just days before their first game of the season. Wilson missed the first half of training camp as he dealt with this calf issue. Now it appears he may have suffered a setback.
Steelers have an interesting decision on their hands
Coach Tomlin didn't waste time in proclaiming Russell Wilson the team's starting quarterback to open the season, but if the veteran QB aggravated his calf strain that limited him all summer, this creates an interesting predicament.
Soft tissue injuries are no joke, and if not treated properly, they can linger all season. We all witnessed how Bengals QB Joe Burrow wasn't the same when he tried playing through a calf injury last season. Oftentimes, calf ailments can lead to more severe injuries -- even potentially resulting in an Achilles rupture.
Something that extreme could be the nail in the coffin of a player in Russell Wilson's shoes. While he would love to be fully healthy before seeing the field, Wilson may not have that luxury. A 25-year-old Justin Fields is chomping at the bit for an opportunity to surpass Wilson on the depth chart, and if the long-time QB sits out now, he may never get his job back.
Ultimately, the decision whether or not to play Wilson is going to come down to Mike Tomlin with advice from the team doctors. We don't know the severity of this setback, but considering what Wilson dealt with all summer, there is legitimate cause for concern ahead of the Steelers' Week 1 game this Sunday against the Falcons.