Wilson getting closer, wants to be smart

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Russell Wilson said he was getting closer and closer to his Steelers debut as starting quarterback. He used the phrase ‘I got to be smart’ numerous times. He wouldn’t commit to being ready. What he did say about the situation after practice Thursday.

“I think the first part is the will,” Wilson said. “I got the will. I think the second part is physically, you have to be able to do everything. I’m getting there.”

“I also have to listen to the doctors and hear what they have to say. At the end of the day, it’s a team effort of trying to figure out what is the best thing. I’m doing everything I can to do, that’s for sure.”

Wilson said he’s getting closer and preparing to be ready to play on Sunday. He said he did a lot of work on the field and throwing Thursday at practice, saying he’s going through the situations and throws he would need to perform in a game, even if he isn’t out there with the first team. He clarified the initial injury in training camp was not minor but a ‘pretty good’ calf injury.

He said wants to be able to be a part of 20 or 21 games he believes this team can play, which would obviously mean going to the Super Bowl.

In his 13 ^th year, Wilson said he’s played through injuries. He wants to be strategic with it being early in the year. He said he’s talked a lot about it with Mike Tomlin. Wilson said they believe in the football team and all they can do. He doesn’t want to rush the calf tightness for fear he would miss a long, long period of time.

“At the end of the day I believe you got to play dinged up,” Wilson said. “I think the Coach and the trainers want to be smart. As I told you before, if this was the last game of the season or one of those kind of games, we are definitely going. I think right now I want to go, but we also too want to be smart.”

Downplaying returning to Denver, Wilson said it’s another game and a game they need to win. He said he has a lot of amazing friends after his two seasons with the Broncos, first mentioning receiver Courtland Sutton.

“I think about a lot of cool relationships with those guys and people,” Wilson said. “But most importantly, we got to we got to strap on the black and go to go in. And I think that's our mentality and we'll be ready to go. You know, they'll be ready to go, too, and it'll be a great, great atmosphere. You know, it's a tremendous atmosphere. And I'm looking forward to just, you know, going there and just playing a good game.”