Chances for an anticipated Russell Wilson return to action against his former team are still alive.
Wilson is questionable to play Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers against his previous squad, the Denver Broncos, head coach Mike Tomlin announced Friday.
Due to a calf injury that's lingered from training camp into the regular season, Wilson missed the Steelers' Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons, with Justin Fields getting the start.
Tomlin said on Tuesday that the team was preparing as if Fields would be the starter. But it seems like Wilson has showed enough improvement over the course of the week that it could result in him getting the start against the host Broncos, who gave up a massive haul of players and draft picks to acquire Wilson ahead of the 2022 season.
Wilson floundered under head coach Nathaniel Hackett in 2022 and, though he showed improvement in 2023, still sputtered under Sean Payton. Wilson was benched over the final two games of the '23 season and was released this past offseason before landing with Pittsburgh.
Should Wilson be able to start Sunday, it would mark the second instance in which he made his debut for his new franchise against his old club.
Wilson played a decade for the Seattle Seahawks, winning a Super Bowl and earning nine Pro Bowl selections before he was traded to the Broncos. He memorably began his Broncos tenure against the Seahawks in a losing effort.
It's likely the 35-year-old is still a longshot to start, though.
Wilson watched Fields pilot the Steelers in Week 1 to an 18-10 win over Atlanta. The 25-year-old former Chicago Bears QB didn't lead any touchdown drives, but he didn't turn the ball over, either, passing for 156 yards, rushing for 57 and captaining six field goal marches.
The Steelers (1-0) kick off against the host Broncos (0-1) at 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday.
