Mike Tomlin isn’t ready to make a decision regarding the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback position.
“There’s no need,” Tomlin said Tuesday.
Tomlin’s stance remains unchanged. The Steelers are preparing Justin Fields to start a fourth week in a row as Russell Wilson continues to recover from a nagging calf injury.
Wilson remains atop the weekly depth chart. Fields remains the backup in name only and the quarterback on Sundays when it really matters.
That has been Tomlin’s modus operandi since Wilson aggravated his calf injury the week leading up to the season opener. Until Wilson shows he is ready to be more than a limited participant in practice, the status quo will be maintained.
“Sometimes in this business there are a myriad of complex decisions that need to be made,” Tomlin said at his weekly press conference. “I’ve learned to make them when it’s appropriate. And it’s not necessary as we sit here right now. When Russ gets to an appropriate point of health, and we have a decision to make, I’ll make it and announce it and I’ll be really transparent about it.
“Until then … I’ve got no intentions of making the decision that’s unnecessary at this juncture.”
Wilson will be limited in practice Wednesday, Tomlin said, which means Fields will continue taking the first-team snaps as he tries to lead the Steelers (3-0) to a fourth consecutive victory when they face the Indianapolis Colts (1-2) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“As we walk into the building tomorrow, I want Justin singularly focused on starting for us and doing what is required to be ready to do that,” Tomlin said.
Wilson could be inching his way closer to becoming a full practice participant. He already has missed more practice reps than he did when he initially injured the calf pushing a sled during a conditioning drill on the eve of training camp.
“If his availability picks up, maybe it will be a consideration later in the week,” Tomlin said.
“We’ll know when we get there. He’ll not only be healthy in terms of keeping himself safe, but be healthy in terms of being productive and doing the things he needs to do and we need him to do.”
With Fields under center, the Steelers have gotten off to a 3-0 start for the second time in five years and fourth time in Tomlin’s 18 seasons as coach.
Fields has completed 73.3% of his passes this season, and he has turned the ball over just once. His 95.3 passer rating ranks No. 12 among all quarterbacks. He ran for a touchdown and threw a 55-yard TD pass to Calvin Austin on Sunday in a 20-10 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Steelers entered the game having scored just one touchdown in two weeks.
“I like his steady demeanor,” Tomlin said. “I like that in a leader. He doesn’t ride the emotional roller coaster when things are going good or things are going bad. Guys can rally around that. He’s steady. He’s a competitor. He likes to compete. He doesn’t turn down things. He’s aggressive in play, scrambling and so forth. It’s just been fun to get to know him and not only know him as a guy but know him as a competitor.”
Fields not only has protected the ball, but he has also shown an ability to extend drives. He has led an offense that ranks fifth in time of possession and seventh in third-down conversion percentage. The Steelers ranked No. 23 and No. 22, respectively, in those areas last season.
“I think I’ve just grown a lot over the last year, over the past few months,” Fields said Sunday. “Really just this year. Definitely feeling more confident and more comfortable out there on the field.”
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.