Wilson grateful to play for Steelers after Broncos tenure
New Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is glad to be in a place where he's wanted.
"I was fortunate to have several teams call and all that, but this is the place I wanted to be, be a Pittsburgh Steeler and to wear the black and gold," Wilson said in his introductory press conference, according to team reporter Teresa Varley. "It's a true honor, tradition, history. There's six trophies in there and we got to go get a seventh."
He added: "Grateful for the opportunity to be able to get after it and do what we came here to do, and that's to win football games."
The nine-time Pro Bowler is set to play on the veteran minimum salary of $1.21 million in his debut campaign in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers reportedly traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles following Friday's press conference. As a result, Wilson is expected to begin his 13th season in the league as Pittsburgh's starter.
"The reason I wanted to come here is because I wanted to win championships with Coach (Mike) Tomlin and the guys in the locker room," he said, per Varley.
Denver officially released Wilson earlier this week, designating him as a post-June 1 cut. The Broncos will absorb a staggering $53 million in dead cap space in 2024 and a $32 million hit in 2025.
Wilson's time with the Broncos was greeted with optimism, but he was never able to achieve the high expectations that came with his acquisition from the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. His first season in Denver was underwhelming, as Wilson threw career-worsts in touchdowns (16) and completion rate (60%). He also racked up 11 interceptions.
The signal-caller said that playing through a lateral tendon injury contributed to his first-year struggles.
"Should I have done that? Compete every day. You've got to do what you've got to do.... This past year, I felt like myself again," Wilson said, per The Athletic's Mike DeFabo.
Wilson showed notable improvement in his second campaign, throwing 26 touchdowns to 8 interceptions. But his performance wasn't enough to win over head coach Sean Payton, who benched Wilson for the final two games of the regular season.
The 35-year-old Wilson has racked up 43,653 yards and 334 touchdowns over 12 NFL campaigns. He's also started 16 postseason contests and led the Seahawks to their Super Bowl XLVIII title.
Pittsburgh's been one of the more proactive teams since the start of free agency, having signed Wilson and linebacker Patrick Queen, among other moves.
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