NFL
Why won’t the Pittsburgh Steelers starters play against the Houston Texans?
Some of the Steelers’ starters will not see action against the Texans in the preseason opener.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason will begin this Friday when they face the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. However, the AFC North team will be without many starters for the warm-up game.
Head coach Mike Tomlin announced that quarterback Russell Wilson, linebackers T.J. Watt, Patrick Queen, and Alex Highsmith, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, defensive lineman Cameron Hayward, and guard Isaac Seumalo will not play against Houston.
Except for the quarterback, Tomlin said all the other players are veterans who already know what they have to do, and it doesn’t make sense for them to play in the preseason. Wilson has missed much of training camp with a calf injury.
Wilson came to Pittsburgh after a difficult time with the Denver Broncos. The veteran quarterback signed a minimum-salary contract with the Steelers after being released by the AFC West team.
Justin Fields will be the starting QB against the Texans
With Wilson out, Justin Fields will have the opportunity to be the starting quarterback in the first preseason game. Mike Tomlin said that both quarterbacks are competing to be chosen as the QB1 in the regular season, although in the team’s first official depth chart the starter is the winner of Super Bowl XLVIII.
“This is a competition,” Tomlin said. “What happens in the stadium carries more weight than what happens in a training environment because it’s more game-like.”
Fields arrived in Pittsburgh via trade with the Chicago Bears. The black and yellow team sent a sixth-round draft pick that can become a fourth-round pick if he plays more than half of the offensive snaps.