When the Denver Broncos released quarterback Russell Wilson after two seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a natural fit for the veteran signal-caller.

The Steelers managed to go 10-7 and make the playoffs in 2023 despite having one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL. It was very clear that bringing in a reliable signal-caller was the missing piece in Pittsburgh, so head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan got to work.

As soon as Wilson became available, the first call he received was from Tomlin and Khan, who called him early in the morning and had a long conversation with Wilson. Then, after speaking with Steelers star player TJ Watt and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Wilson also knew where he wanted to go.

"There are really two moments," Wilson said from the moment he knew he wanted to play for the Steelers. “And both at the same time. When I got released, I was like, ‘Okay, here we go. This is going to be interesting. And several teams started calling and everything else.’

“And then all of a sudden my first call was with Mike Tomlin and Omar. I got to talk to those guys early. It was early in the morning, around 7:30 a.m., my time on the West Coast. J ‘Had to talk to these guys for about an hour and a half, coach Tomlin and I, we have the same vision for the ball,’ he added ‘And love for the game and. the passion behind it, and obsession with the ball it.

“I had to talk to TJTJ and I, obviously the Wisconsin guys and all that, we had some good conversations about it. He’s a guy that’s been great, a guy that’s one of the best to ever done that, and then I had to talk to Minkah, he doesn’t talk for long but he says, “Hey, you like to compete and that’s all I like is training, playing?” to the ball and get out of it. I looked at (my wife Ciara) and I was like, “I know where we’re going.”

It’s been really great, as Wilson has reignited his career in Pittsburgh and proven to be an improvement in the passing game that the team was hoping for. There’s still a long way to go, but the arrow is pointing up for the Steelers.

With Wilson set to turn 36 at the end of this month, questions about how much time he has left in the league are valid. But if it’s up to Wilson, he has no plans to retire anytime soon.

“I definitely want to play another five to seven years,” he said. “I think that’s always been my goal. I’ve been very clear about that from the beginning. I think that’s always been my mindset, you know the longevity of the game.”

Now all that remains to be decided is whether Wilson will spend part or all of the next five to seven years with the Steelers.

He will be a free agent in 2025 and the outcome of this season will play a big role in whether he stays or not, but if Wilson continues to play at the level he has so far, Pittsburgh will definitely want to keep him. .

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