3x Super Bowl champion sounds alarm, calls for Russell Wilson to be benched for Justin Fields in Wild Card round

Russell Wilson's participation in the Wildcard game is being hotly debated. As the Pittsburgh Steelers brace for their Wild Card playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, former NFL star Mark Schlereth urged head coach Mike Tomlin to make a drastic change.

Schlereth has publicly called for Russell Wilson to be benched in favor of Justin Fields.

"I think if you're going to put it out there and you're going to beat the Baltimore Ravens, I think the best option is Justin Fields," Schlereth said.

The criticism from the three-time Super Bowl champion stems from Wilson’s recent performances, especially his tendency to take sacks. Over the last three games, Wilson has been sacked 12 times, which undermined the offense, according to Schlereth.

Despite Justin Fields’ own history of taking sacks, Schlereth believes the young QB offers a threat to the Ravens.

"You can operate your offense differently, just making him more of a running back than a quarterback," Mark Schlereth said and hinted at the benefits of letting Justin Fields play as the starter.

Fields, who can escape pressure and make plays with his legs, was the starting QB for six games when Russell Wilson was sidelined in 2024 after injuring his middle finger in Week 5.

The Steelers' offense has been dismal lately, failing to sustain drives and turning the ball over too frequently.

In their last 31 offensive drives, the team scored just three touchdowns, with 11 punts and four turnovers. Such a statistic only exacerbates concerns ahead of the playoffs.

With the Steelers heading into the postseason after four straight losses, Mark Schlereth's suggestion is more than just a theoretical change.

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin breaks silence on QB Russell Wilson

Over questions about the team’s quarterback strategy, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin didn’t mince words when discussing Russell Wilson’s recent struggles.

“I think it’s reflective of all of our performances over the last month. It’s been spotty at best,” Tomlin said of Wilson during a press conference this week. “But again, during that time period, we’ve been 0-4, and so that’s not an earth-shattering statement.”

Talking about Justin Fields, Mike Tomlin hailed the young QB and revealed how he is open to "utilizing" him.

Tomlin added:

“He has an awesome skillset. We’ve done some of that in the past. We’ve done less of it in recent weeks. Certainly, in an effort to win this game, I am open to any combination or combinations of the division of labor in an effort to do so.”

AFC North Rivals, the Steelers (10-7) and Ravens (12-5) will face off in the postseason for the fifth time, and the former has a 3-1 advantage over previous playoff matchups. The last postseason meeting between the Steelers and Ravens was in 2015. Back then, the Steelers won (30-17) in Baltimore.