‘Huge Issue’: Former Player Slams Steelers, Russell Wilson

PITTSBURGH — A day after Russell Wilson was announced as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive captain this season, a national analyst raised some confusion towards the decision.

Fox Sports 1’s Emmanuel Acho, who is a part of the network’s new show titled The Facility, is of the opinion that the Steelers should have shied away from awarding a captain patch to Wilson because he is at risk of losing his starting quarterback job.

“I got a huge issue with it,” Acho said. “Here’s my issue with it. Russell Wilson, I believe, is one of the greatest men I have ever met in my life. We came into the National Football League together. Russell Wilson is probably one of the best leaders of men in society. My issue is this: Don’t name a captain you might bench.”

It is customary for NFL teams to impart captaincy upon their quarterback, and for good reason. Players at the position assume large responsibilities both on and off the field and essentially hold the weight of the team in their hands, so it’s only right that they are officially recognized for their leadership.

Whether it’s coaches or players voting on captains, rallying around an organization’s signal caller can also generate some additional camaraderie, which becomes easier when they have that patch on their jersey and are a figurehead in the locker room.

Wilson has been a captain since his sophomore campaign in 2013 and is also one of the more experienced and accomplished quarterbacks in the entire league. Pittsburgh has put a premium on his intangibles and believes in his ability to turn the offense’s fortunes around, likely making its decision an easy one.

There is some precedent for this choice when looking at prior seasons, as Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky were named captains after winning the starting job despite not having a firm grip on that role. Both players were eventually benched, so the Steelers are no strangers to working through the exact scenario Acho cautioned about.

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