For whatever reason, when the Denver Broncos decided to part ways with Russell Wilson certain narratives were being thrown around the media landscape. Some called Wilson a diva, some challenged his leadership, and some went as far as suggesting he was a bad teammate. All of these reports muddied the waters as Wilson started to look ahead to the next chapter of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Instead of listening to those reports/narratives/rumors, you can listen to the players in the locker room who haven’t even eluded to anything negative about Wilson, but also Wilson’s own comments about his time with the Steelers. Wilson sounds like a professional who has heard what was said about him, and is determined to extinguish those rumors as quickly as possible.

“It’s been cool. These guys are so focused,” said Wilson talking about the offensive line. “They work their butts off in the weight room, on the field, in the film room. Just to be able to share life experiences with one another as much as we can. It’s been hectic, it’s been busy. The more we spend time together, the better. It was a good dinner for sure.”

When asked how hard they are working, Wilson again chose to focus on the group as a collective. The offense as a whole, not just one person or position group.

“Everybody’s been working,” said Wilson. “It’s not just about me, it’s about them, it’s about us all together. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a cool experience so far. We are just putting the work in, staying focused and doing everything we can to stay successful.”

If there was a relationship which could get strained it would be the relationship between Wilson and Justin Fields. Wilson is in “pole position” to be the Steelers starting quarterback, but Fields has openly said he is going to push Wilson. That he is here to compete. Wilson acknowledges the competition, and knows it is only going to take the offense to the next level.

“We are competing every day, getting the ball in the end zone, making plays. The defense going back and forth,” said Wilson. “The energy is high. We have such a talented team and Coach (Mike) Tomlin does a great job at practice.”

Wilson may have had issues in his final years with the Seattle Seahawks. He also might have walked into a horrible situation with the Denver Broncos. While the book has yet to be written about his tenure with the Steelers, which could be brief, the early reports from the team have been nothing short of glowing.

Maybe we should all hold judgement until the pads are put on and the proverbial bullets start flying, but in regards to Wilson, it’s so far, so good.

be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of the 2024 regular season.