Key details revealed for Pittsburgh Steelers QB decision vs. Falcons

ATLANTA — Just a few hours out from their game with the Atlanta Falcons, and the Pittsburgh Steelers do not know who their quarterback will be for sure. While a lot of signs point to Justin Fields getting the start, the Steelers have not locked that in, as Russell Wilson continues to push for himself to play.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Saturday night that Wilson has told the Steelers coaching staff and trainers that he can play, but Pittsburgh’s training staff remain at odds with playing Wilson. Wilson aggravated his calf injury from training camp on Thursday, and if he hurts it worse, the absence could go from short-term to lengthy very quickly.

Either way, Wilson did travel with the team. Meanwhile, Fields is preparing like the starter. The Steelers and Wilson have started conducting around-the-clock treatments on his calf to get him ready in case he can play. They even put him through a workout on Saturday to see where he is at in his game.

The ultimate decision for the Steelers will be revealed when Wilson takes the field for a pregame warmup in the morning. Inactives for the Steelers will be due at 11:30 a.m., or just 90 minutes before the game, so the Steelers can work Wilson out before the game to fully see where he is at.

However, minimizing risk for the Steelers in this situation seems a key part of the process. Head coach Mike Tomlin said on Thursday, when Wilson complained of the tightness, that there was no long-term worry but that the team needed to be overly cautious with the injury. Holding him out for a week with a more than-capable backup in Fields seems like the right move for the Steelers so Wilson does not miss extended time in case he aggravates the injury even more.

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