While many in the media have panned, or at least been skeptical, about Russell Wilson’s chances of success in Pittsburgh, one former Steeler is optimistic. Speaking on NFL Network’s The Insiders on Tuesday night, former cornerback Patrick Peterson said he thinks Wilson would be a great fit.
“Russell is probably a match made in heaven.” Peterson said on the show. “This is kind of going back to the Legion of Boom days when he was in Seattle. The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to rely on their defense. They’re going to rely on their running game. They’re going to rely on their quarterback not turning the ball over. And I think that’s going to be a recipe for success.”
The Seattle Seahawks certainly have similarities to Wilson’s heyday: old-school veteran head coaches in Pete Carroll and now Mike Tomlin, sturdy lead runners in Marshawn Lynch and now Najee Harris, and a stout defense with talent at all three levels that makes it one of the most physical teams in football.
That’s the support Wilson didn’t have in Denver. It’s not the only excuse for his and the Broncos’ struggles, but it didn’t do him any favors. The Broncos lacked an effective running game in both of Wilson’s years there. In 2023, they were 21st in yards per carry; in 2022, they were slightly better, but 17th. Pittsburgh has even higher goals with a rebuilt offensive line, one of which is currently struggling with injuries, plus a running back like Harris who lost nearly 10 pounds to be more explosive.
Denver’s defense was also middling to poor in 2022 and 2023. Pittsburgh could be a top-five team and finished sixth overall in the league last year despite a tsunami of injuries.
Wilson is at his best when those elements come together, and Patrick Peterson thinks that could happen again.
“His quarterbacks don’t necessarily turn the ball over, but I think they understand how important it is to not lose the ball.”
It’s a similar approach to the Steelers’ under Kenny Pickett, which produced an ultra-conservative offense focused on not losing games rather than winning them, but Wilson brings a lot of all-around talent that will hopefully elevate this offense to greater heights than it has reached over the past three seasons.
Of course, Patrick Peterson has at least a little bit of incentive to think highly of Pittsburgh. He has stated multiple times that he wants to return to the Steelers and is still looking for work as the regular season gets underway. If Peterson doesn’t find a home soon, he may move on to a new phase of his career as an analyst with Wilson trying to avoid sharing the same couch with Peterson.
