FOX NFL Sunday pundit Terry Bradshaw has conceded that Russell Wilson has swayed his opinion after initially criticising the Pittsburgh Steelers for favouring him over Justin Fields. The Steelers, having acquired both quarterbacks in the offseason to overhaul their squad, saw head coach Mike Tomlin compelled to start Fields due to Wilson’s lack of fitness at the season’s outset.
Fields impressed early on, steering the Steelers to a 4-2 tally. Despite this, Tomlin’s contentious move to replace Fields with Wilson drew flak from Steelers icon Bradshaw.
Yet, with Wilson securing victories in both games as starting QB and facing a challenging Week 10 clash against the Washington Commanders, Bradshaw acknowledged the wisdom of the decision. “This is a tough game for Pittsburgh,” Bradshaw remarked on FOX while previewing the upcoming match.
“I’m going to go ahead and say Russell (Wilson), who has really kind of won me over to his side, I didn’t think he’d be their quarterback, two touchdowns.”
“Two touchdown passes for him today, and the Steelers win in an upset.”
With the Steelers soaring at the top of the AFC North, outpacing competitors like the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, the Commanders have also been turning heads this season.
The Washington Commanders are on a winning streak with their rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, a second-overall pick from LSU. Fans and pundits alike didn’t see the Commanders at the forefront of this season’s playoff hunt yet they’ve surged past expectations to sit atop the NFC East, edging out the Philadelphia Eagles.
Over in Pittsburgh, the Steelers have become the talk of the town for having two high-calibre quarterbacks with distinct playing styles at their disposal.
The spotlight has been on Bradshaw, a sympathizer with benched quarterback Fields, who put up 1,338 total yards, 10 touchdowns, and only a single interception in the first six weeks of the season. Even after being sidelined, Fields took to social media with grace, posting: “Your ‘normal’ day is someone’s dream, so be thankful every day.”
Despite Fields’ decent response to coach Tomlin’s decision, Bradshaw couldn’t mask his disapproval, telling FOX viewers in October, before the Steelers’ triumphant victory over the New York Jets: “I totally disagree with this decision by Mike Tomlin, the head coach,” Bradshaw vented. “I would stay with Fields. I’m telling you there’s something wrong with Wilson that I don’t know about. In my opinion, Wilson should not be starting today.”
Bradshaw also questioned the strategic thought process behind the switch, saying, “They like to run the football. He’s a big strong running quarterback, athletic enough, but also a guy that can move the football through the air. I don’t understand the move.”
This article originally appeared on Mirror US