Steelers gave Russell Wilson a “petty game ball” after beating Broncos

When the 2024 schedule was released, many people took note of Pittsburgh‘s Week Two trip to Denver because it offered a chance for quarterback Russell Wilson to face his former Broncos teammates.

Things played out differently, however. Wilson missed his second straight game with a calf injury and Justin Fields was at quarterback for a 13-6 win that moved the Steelers to 2-0 on the season.

While Wilson was just an observer in his return to Denver, his rough two-year experience with the team and offseason release were on the minds of head coach Mike Tomlin and the rest of the Steelers in the aftermath of the win.

“I think we all know Russ got kind of did dirty last year,” Fields said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com. “So I know he wished he could have played today in this game, but it’s awesome getting a win for him. He got a petty game ball.”

Wilson’s injury interfered with plans to start him this season and it remains to be seen if he’ll be back in that position. Fields’s numbers weren’t eye-popping on Sunday and the Steelers failed to move the ball in the second half, but penalties played a role in those outcomes and the Steelers have won both their games despite scoring just 31 total points. Those wins go along with Wilson’s health as factors that the team has to consider when thinking about a change at the most important position on the offense.