Steelers Announce Starting QB vs. Texans

The Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping Russell Wilson sidelined.

Jul 28, 2024; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields participates in drills during training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports / Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into their preseason opener against the Houston Texans with Justin Fields as their starting quarterback. Head coach Mike Tomlin announced that after missing a majority of training camp with a calf injury, Russell Wilson will not dress for their game, making Fields thier QB1.

Fields will get his first opportunity to play at Acrisure Stadium as the team's starter. He's taken most of the first team reps during training camp, working with names like George Pickens and Van Jefferson, who are both expected to start. While Fields was listed as the backup on the team's initial depth chart, there is an open competition for the starting job, and Fields' performance against the Texans can play a significant role in the outcome.

Behind Fields will be Kyle Allen and John Rhys Plumlee. While Plumlee does have a shot to make the roster, it's expected that Allen will be the QB3 for the Steelers this season. Therefore, judging by years past, Fields will likely get a bulk of the playing time in the opener, with Allen and Rhys splitting the second half.

The Steelers will keep a handful of veterans sidelined for the preseason game against the Texans. T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alex Highsmith, Patrick Queen and Isaac Seumalo won't suit up. Typically, the veterans who do not play still go through warm-ups to get a feel for game day prior to the season.

With a new offensive system under Arthur Smith, most of the offensive skill players are expected to be in action. For how long is yet to be determined.

The Steelers kick off against the Texans at 7 P.M. ET on Friday, August 9 at Acrisure Stadium. It's the first of their three preseason games before heading to Atlanta for Week 1 of the regular season.

Make sure you bookmark Steelers OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more

• Steelers Getting Closer to Landing Brandon Aiyuk
• Steelers Reveal Starting QB in First Depth Chart
• Steelers Finally Landing Brandon Aiyuk?
• Steelers LB Suffers Hamstring Injury
• Steelers Finally Have a QB Competition