Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson has practiced fully this week for the first time he aggravated a calf injury just prior to the regular season.
While it appears Justin Fields is in line to remain the Steelers’ starting quarterback for their game Sunday at the Las Vegas Raiders, Wilson is taking some first-team reps in his first full week of healthy practice.
Wilson was asked on Thursday what his expectations were now that he’s back in the mix.
“That’s a big question,” Wilson said, per The Associated Press.
Fields started the first five games of the season with Kyle Allen backing him up and Wilson serving as the Steelers’ emergency third QB. The thinking is that Wilson could take Allen’s place as Fields’ backup on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Wilson said he’s “preparing (his) mind to get ready to go,” no matter how the Steelers handle the depth chart.
“I feel confident that I’ll be ready to play … and play at a high level,” he said. “I think we’re being really smart, too, and trying to understand exactly how I feel.”
Wilson admitted that it has been a trying process to get back to full health and that he has tried to contribute in whatever ways he can so far.
“It’s a process, a process that I don’t love in terms of just having to go through what I’ve been going through,” he said on Thursday. “But also at the same time, you get to figure out your … mental fortitude and also understand that you can always lead in different ways and everything else. I think that’s really important for us right now.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said earlier in the week that there are multiple variables he’d weigh on the decision throughout the week in practice but that the “door is ajar” for Wilson to be active Sunday.
“I’ve played a lot of football games, have been in a lot of moments,” Wilson said. “I don’t fear them. Getting ready to go and rock and roll.”
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