There is no reason to do this
Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Doing so in the NFL is the definition of complacency. Should the Pittsburgh Steelers bring back Russell Wilson, they would be telling their fans they are more than happy with how this past season went and that having no standard is the new standard.
Wilson appeared on The Pat McAfee Show where he said he and the Steelers have had preliminary talks about the future. He also added that he wants to remain in Pittsburgh and retire a Steeler. And while Wilson had a great start to his Steelers career, it ended with five consecutive losses, none of which the Steelers scored more than 17 points. He is going to be 37 in 2025 – there is no reason for the Steelers to bring Wilson back, and if they do, it says a horrible message to the fans. It sends a message of “We are happy with how the season turned out, and we are going to do this exact same thing again.” They didn’t fire any coaches. They didn’t make any changes. Bringing Wilson back as the starter would have Pittsburgh all but hitting repeat on 2024 with no long-term solution in sight and a low ceiling for the foreseeable future.
What else should they do? I’ll revert back to what I’ve said for the last several weeks – re-sign Justin Fields. He’s 11 years younger, he played well in his six starts last season, and he has a far higher ceiling than Wilson at this point. Surround him with weapons offensively with all the cap space you have and give him a year to show whether or not he can be the franchise answer. If he is, then mission accomplished. If not, then at least you tried and have pieces in place for whomever you bring in for the 2026 season.
There is a large difference between re-signing Wilson and re-signing Fields. We don’t know if Justin Fields is the answer – we do know Russell Wilson is not. And in an era where the likes of Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield, and Sam Darnold turn their careers around and prove themselves as capable starting quarterbacks, not giving Fields a real shot and just resorting back to a low-ceiling, high-floor soon-to-be-retired veteran would be malpractice.