Pittsburgh Steelers

Russell Wilson is reportedly remaining confident in the possibility he will return for a second season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I was with Russell on Friday, and I'm just telling you, the tone that I got from him was entirely different than reports that are out there," ESPN's Adam Schefter said Monday on the Pat McAfee Show. "And we'll see what winds up happening, whether or not he's back there. But I think he feels like there's definitely a chance he's going to be back there.

"He's having conversations with the organization about the future, and where it's going to go. There's still a lot that's going to play out here, but I think he definitely thinks that he may be back in Pittsburgh."

Both Wilson and Justin Fields hit free agency after the 2024 season, and team owner Art Rooney said last week the Steelers "probably won't wind up bringing them both back."

"I think both of them see themselves as starters, and I don't know that they want to share the same job again next year," Rooney said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor.

Both Wilson and Fields have expressed interest in being the Steelers' QB1 next season.

Days after the Steelers were eliminated from the Wild Card round with a Jan. 11 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Wilson told reporters returning to Pittsburgh in 2025 was "the plan."

"I just love the guys," Wilson said. "I love the locker room. I love Coach Tomlin... I love playing the game. And, you know, if it works out that way, I'm excited to do that for the black and gold again."

Two weeks earlier, Fields had told Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he wanted to be in Pittsburgh next season.

"I'm kind of tired of learning a new offense every year," Fields said. "This will be my third in four years. Of course I'd love to be back, but that's all up to God at the end of the day. I'll be where God wants me to be."

Schefter reported on Sunday night that the Steelers have spoken with both Fields and Wilson so far this offseason.

As of Sunday, the Steelers were "still undecided" as to which of the free agent quarterbacks they would re-sign, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.

Per Pelissero and Rapoport, the Steelers are looking to sign one Wilson or Fields to "a short-term deal while also continuing to seek a long-term answer, potentially through the draft."

That matches what Rooney said earlier this month, when he said the Steelers would be targeting quarterbacks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts, per Pryor.

Wilson, who turned 36 in November, is likely to be targeting a short-term contract regardless of where he ends after the dissolution of his previous deal with the Denver Broncos.

Fields, who will turn 26 in March, could look to earn a longer-term contract if he can take the next step in his development on a prove-it deal next season.

Schefter said Sunday there were "a number of teams interested" in Fields should he depart from the Steelers this offseason. Free agency interest from other franchises could encourage the Steelers to make their quarterback decision as soon as possible.

Russell Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, and it seems like his time with the AFC North team may be limited to just that one year.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote about the situation Monday and said he feels "Wilson is going elsewhere" this offseason.

"This week some pro-Wilson narratives surfaced, and my sense is that probably wouldn't be very well received by the Steelers as they mull their future at the position," he wrote while also noting the team is interested in bringing Justin Fields back but not as the surefire starter and instead someone who would once again have to compete for playing time.

Fields started the 2024 campaign under center because of Wilson's calf injury, and the former Chicago Bears signal-caller went 4-2 as a starter with 10 total touchdowns to one interception.

However, head coach Mike Tomlin made the switch to Wilson when the veteran was healthy, and it seemed to be the right call when Pittsburgh went 6-1 in the next seven games. Yet the team then dropped the final four regular-season games before losing to the rival Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round.

The Steelers didn't reach the 20-point mark in any of those final five contests and now have a decision to make at the most important position.

"Wilson wasn't an innocent bystander in all of that. His limitations in the dropback game, and throwing the ball over the middle of the field, could only be worked around for so long," Breer wrote. "And so some friction surfaced as the season circled the drain, and the collapse showed that, while the Steelers are consistently in the running, they aren't all that close to the elite."

Fields is just 25 years old, while Wilson is 36. If both have limitations, it makes more sense to bring back the younger one who at least brings his elite running ability to the table, which can add another element to the offense.

There was a time when Wilson was one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL during his peak on the Seattle Seahawks, but he was just 26th in the league in QBR during the 2024 season, per Pro Football Reference.

Signs are indicating the Steelers will move on this offseason, which means he will likely need to find another team looking for a veteran option who could either start or be a bridge quarterback until someone younger is ready to take over.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to make a decision at quarterback this offseason, with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields hitting free agency.

If they choose not to keep Fields, however, don't expect him to be a free agent for long.

"The Steelers have made it very clear they'd like to bring back one of those two quarterbacks. They've spoken to [Wilson], they'll be talking to Fields," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday. "But there will be a market for Fields. A number of teams interested in him, and we'll see whether or not that includes Pittsburgh."

This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app, homepage and social feeds—including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are "still undecided" about whether they'll retain Russell Wilson or Justin Fields as their quarterback for 2025, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.

The NFL insiders added that "It's possible another veteran QB becomes available that would entice the Steelers from moving on from both players."

Rapoport reported on Dec. 8 that Wilson "appears to be the leading candidate."

At the time, Pittsburgh had gone 5-1 with the 36-year-old as the starter, and he had thrown for 1,626 yards and 10 touchdowns to three interceptions. Re-signing him seemed like a logical move.

A four-game losing streak to end the regular season and a 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round put a damper on everything and raised questions over Wilson's value moving forward.

Then came a report on Feb. 4 by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac about "philosophical friction" between Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The Steelers beat writer cited sources who asserted Wilson's decline toward the end of the year coincided with Smith insisting more that he not change plays at the line of scrimmage.

"Wilson's desire to attack with the pass and throw down the field clashed with Smith's run-first mentality, causing philosophical friction between the two," Dulac wrote.

One criticism of Smith when he coached the Atlanta Falcons was that his offenses lacked a ton of imagination, and he had shown a clear preference to the running game. True to form, the Steelers had the fourth-most carries (533) in the NFL.

Still, it's worth pointing out that Wilson is now a perfect 3-for-3 in terms of feeling like his teams aren't letting him open up the passing game.

That was one of many issues that preceded Wilson's trade from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos in 2022. His fit with Sean Payton in the Mile High City was even worse. Now, the same narrative is coming to the fore in Pittsburgh.

Based on Pelissero and Rapoport's report, we can't rule out a reunion between Wilson and the Steelers. That will require he and Smith to get on the same page, though.

There is reportedly some belief that quarterback Justin Fields could potentially re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency this offseason.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, there is a belief that the "door is open" for Fields to return to Pittsburgh, although it is likely that Fields wants to end up in a situation where he has a legitimate chance to start for a full season.

The Steelers acquired Fields in a trade with the Chicago Bears last offseason, and while he started the first six games of the 2024 campaign, he was relegated to a backup role once Russell Wilson returned from injury.

Fowler said he has spoken to many former Steelers players in New Orleans during Super Bowl week, several of whom have told him that there are people in the Steelers organization who prefer to keep Fields over Wilson since Fields is younger and more mobile.

However, it is believed that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has a "loyalty" to Wilson, which could result in Pittsburgh re-signing Wilson in free agency over Fields.

Wilson is reportedly open to returning but intends to weigh his options, with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants standing out as potential landing spots if he decides to leave the Steelers.

Fields, who will turn 26 in March, was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the Bears.

He had his fair share of ups and downs in Chicago, going just 10-28 as a starter over the course of three seasons, although he did have one of the best rushing seasons by a quarterback in NFL history in 2022, rushing for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Bears traded Fields to the Steelers ahead of selecting quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and Fields was given a chance to compete with Wilson for the starting job in Pittsburgh.

Wilson won the job coming out of training camp and the preseason, but with a calf injury rendering him unable to play, Fields started the first six games of the season.

Fields went 4-2 in those six starts, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception, while also rushing for 231 yards and five scores.

The Steelers won Wilson's first four starts upon his return, but they ended the regular season on a four-game losing streak and fell 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

Since the Steelers have never had a losing record under Tomlin, they are never in position to take a quarterback high in the draft.

That is the case once again this year, as they own the No. 21 overall pick, which will almost certainly preclude them from landing Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.

Because of that, the Steelers will likely have to find their quarterback solution in free agency by re-signing Fields or Wilson or signing an outside option such as Sam Darnold, who is in line to be the top free-agent quarterback.

Perhaps most importantly, the Steelers need to beef up their receiving corps for whoever the starting quarterback is, as no wideout aside from George Pickens had more than 548 yards for Pittsburgh in 2024.

Get ready to see some Terrible Towels in Ireland next season.

The NFL announced Friday that it will play a game in Dublin, Ireland, during the 2025 campaign. It remains to be seen who will be the opponent, but the Pittsburgh Steelers will be the designated home team.

This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app, homepage and social feeds—including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

The Los Angeles Chargers added a potential difference-maker to its offense with the signing of Najee Harris.

The former Pittsburgh Steelers running back signed a one-year contract worth up to $9.25 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Chargers entered free agency with almost $94 million in cap space, second most in the NFL behind only the New England Patriots, per Spotrac. It gives the team plenty of flexibility to continue adding beyond this move.

However, the signing does give the team some stability in the backfield while improving the overall offense.

Depth Chart

QB: Justin Herbert

RB: Najee Harris, Kimani Vidal, Hassan Haskins

FB: Scott Matlock

WR: Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis, Brenden Rice

TE: Will Dissley, Stone Smartt

Harris' long-term future with the Steelers was very much in doubt when the team declined his fifth-year option in May 2024. That meant the 2024 season was the final one on his previous deal before he became an unrestricted free agent.

For his part, Harris told reporters at the start of training camp in July 2024 he was "disappointed" with Pittsburgh's decision to decline his fifth-year option.

"I was disappointed for a minute, but I mean it's nothing really where me sitting around and being disappointed for too long would do anything to help me out," he said. "It is what it is, and you just got to keep pushing and knowing that coming out here and doing what's best for the team and having a good year is what's most important right now."

Harris also said at the time he "most definitely" wanted to remain with Pittsburgh, but he ultimately ended up going elsewhere.

He had been with the AFC North team his entire career since it selected him with a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft after a dominant collegiate career at Alabama that included him winning the 2020 Doak Walker Award as the best running back in the country.

The Crimson Tide product wasted no time making an impact as a rookie with 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground to go with 74 catches for 467 yards and three scores as a receiver. While there were concerns about his efficiency at 3.9 yards per carry, his ability to make plays in the passing game helped make up for that.

Harris also cracked the 1,000 rushing yards mark in each of his next three seasons, although he is yet to reach his career-high mark that he set as a rookie.

The 27-year-old finished the 2024 campaign with 1,043 rushing yards, 283 receiving yards and six touchdowns. His 4.0 yards per carry was the second-best total of his career, but he was no longer the same weapon in the aerial attack that he was in his first season.

It was fair to question his long-term fit with Pittsburgh, especially when Jaylen Warren was more efficient and started to take away carries. Warren averaged 4.8 yards per carry in his first three seasons and looked to be more explosive for extended stretches.

Given that and the reality running back is often seen as more replaceable than other positions, and Harris' days with the Steelers seemed numbered at best when they didn't pick up his option.

Alas, that proved to be the case, and he will now chase a Super Bowl with the Chargers.

The running back position was something of a question mark heading into the offseason for Los Angeles, as J.K. Dobbins was scheduled for free agency after leading the team with 905 rushing yards last season.

Harris provides an answer to the running back concerns and will surely compete for a significant role in the offense.

He raises the unit's overall ceiling and figures to benefit from facing lighter defensive fronts when opponents are more concerned with Justin Herbert and the aerial attack.

Free agent quarterback Russell Wilson says he is "focused" on re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers amid rumors that he could join his former head coach Pete Carroll with the Las Vegas Raiders.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully going back to the Steelers and we'll see what happens with the rest. I love it in Pittsburgh," Wilson told Mark Long of the Associated Press.

When asked about Carroll and the Raiders, Wilson answered: "Pete's going to be a great coach, obviously. He's great at what he does. But I'm focused on the Steelers."

After news broke of Carroll's hiring, The Athletic's Jeff Howe described Wilson "one name I've heard to watch" in the Raiders' quarterback search.

Wilson and Carroll spent ten seasons together with the Seattle Seahawks, where they defeated the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season.

The Seahawks lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX the following season and never made it back to the championship game.

The Athletic later reported, and Wilson denied, that Wilson had wanted Carroll fired ahead of his 2022 trade to the Denver Broncos.

Howe reported that Wilson and Carroll have since "mended fences," and described Wilson as a potential "stopgap" under center while the Raiders search for their next franchise quarterback.

Wilson, who signed a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Steelers while he was still being paid by the Broncos during the 2024 season, has said multiple times after Pittsburgh's early playoff elimination that he would like to return for another run in black and gold.

The quarterback said immediately after the Steelers' elimination by the Baltimore Ravens that he hopes to be in Pittsburgh next season, and added in a Jan. 22 appearance on the Pat McAfee Show that he wants to finish out his career with the Steelers.

Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II hasn't been as firm in committing to Wilson.

Rooney said Monday that his "preference" would be to sign either Wilson or Justin Fields ahead of next season, but that he believes it is "probably unlikely" the Steelers will bring back both quarterbacks (h/t ESPN's Brooke Pryor.)

"I think both of them see themselves as starters and I don't know that they want to share the same job again next year," Rooney said, per Pyror. "So, I would say most likely we probably don't wind up bringing them both back."

Rooney also added that he wants to sign whichever quarterback the Steelers land on to a multi-year contract, which could bring the quarterbacks' age into consideration. Wilson is almost ten years older than Fields, who turns 26 in March.

If the Steelers decide to go with Fields in 2025, Wilson could reconsider seeking a job with the Raiders. At least for now, however, it looks like he has his sights set on a return to Pittsburgh.