Stephen A. Smith blasted Russell Wilson ESPN Russell Wilson has struggled in preseason Getty Justin Fields could take over as the starter but must stop fumbling AP
Wilson was expected to have a firm grip on the job but has struggled with injuries and a lack of form.
His struggles have opened the door for Fields to make a case for being the Steelers’ No. 1 quarterback, and Smith is fuming at Wilson’s attitude.
“How in the hell do you think you’re cool talking to the media like, ‘Calm down, relax.’ Who do you think you are?” Stephen A. blasted.
“Have you not been watching you?
“This is how we know that life has got real comfortable for him, that he ain’t going home and really, really watching film. At least of himself.
“Because if you watched yourself there’s no way you turning up in Pittsburgh acting all nonchalant like everything is cool.
“You need to show up with a level of urgency like your job is on the line.
“You haven’t done a damn thing yet, you have a lot to prove. He needs to act like it.”
Wilson and Fields are both yet to log a touchdown this preseason, which saw the team take losses to the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans while scoring a combined 15 points.
Wilson went 8-for-10 for 47 passing yards against Buffalo but missed the next game with an injury.
Meanwhile, Fields played in both, completing 28 of his 40 throws for 185 yards — and fumbling a couple of snaps.
The Steelers’ only passing touchdown has come from third-stringer Kyle Allen, who connected with Connor Heyward in the matchup with the Texans.
Stephen A. wants him to stop smiling and show he is ready to fight for a job after suggesting that he had been told practice had not gone well this week.
“I don’t understand how it’s cool for you to sit up there with a smile on your face,” he ranted.
“You’re a Super Bowl champion, you’ve been the two Super Bowls in your career, you’re a nine-time pro bowler, you are fighting for your career with Justin Fields, who I think got a lot of problems.
“But he is smiling like he got his beautiful wife next to him and you about to go to a Taylor Swift concert or something.
“No, you compete for the damn job.”
The Steelers open their season against the Atlanta Falcons on September 8.
After years of their problems under center, the Falcons turned to former Minnesota Vikings star Kirk Cousins and drafted Michael Penix Jr as No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Stephen A. Smith's journey through media
STEPHEN A. Smith is now the face of ESPN and an executive producer on First Take having initially started working for the company back in 2003.
Smith has held various roles with the network, including hosting radio shows, SportsCenter contributions, and appearing on NBA Countdown.
He was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1994 to 2010.
His began as an NBA writer before becoming a general sports columnist.
Before that, Smith worked as a reporter with Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News, and the New York Daily News.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
