ATLANTA – Russell Wilson’s debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to wait.
Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler who signed with the Steelers after being cut loose by the Denver Broncos, was ruled out of the season opener Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons because of a calf injury.
Another newcomer to the Steelers, Justin Fields, was set to start in Wilson’s place.
The 35-year-old Wilson earned the starting job during the preseason, only to aggravate a calf injury in practice on Thursday.
Wilson said he “felt a little funny” during individual drills. Coach Mike Tomlin pulled him out of the team portion of practice as a precaution.
Wilson initially injured the calf during a conditioning test when the Steelers reported to training camp in late July. He sat out practice Friday and continued to get treatment right up until game time, but it wasn’t enough to get him back on the field against the Falcons.
Fields moved to the top of the depth chart for Week 1, with Kyle Allen listed as the backup. Wilson was designated as the inactive third quarterback.
Wilson signed with the Steelers after two dismal seasons in Denver, where his career went off the rails after a stellar decade with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Steelers, looking to bolster a stagnant offense, totally overhauled the quarterback position by also trading for Fields, a 2021 first-round pick of the Chicago Bears.
Fields said the game plan would not change with a different quarterback, though his running ability added a dimension that Wilson no longer possesses entering his 13th season.
Pittsburgh also has a new offensive coordinator, hiring Arthur Smith after he was fired as head coach of the Falcons in January.
“Arthur, he’s been in multiple offenses,” Fields said. “He’s played with different style quarterbacks, quarterbacks that can run, quarterbacks that aren’t so great with their legs. So you know it’s more so the play-calling and how he dials it up for us.”
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