Quarterback Russell Wilson didn’t have many fans on his side going into his debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7. However, he had unwavering support from his family.
After Wilson led the Steelers to a commanding 37-15 win over the New York Jets, his wife, Ciara, shared her support on social media. She posted two photos of herself and their children dressed in Steelers gear for the game, along with a third picture of Wilson high-fiving Steelers fans after the victory.
Wilson’s 264 passing yards in the 22-point win marked the most by any quarterback in their debut for the Steelers. He achieved this by completing 16 of 29 passes, averaging 9.1 yards per attempt, with two touchdown throws and one rushing score.
Russell Wilson Ignites Steelers Passing Game
There were concerns among pundits and Steelers fans that Pittsburgh’s offense would struggle after losing the mobility of Justin Fields, whom Wilson replaced in the starting lineup.
While Wilson didn’t take full advantage of the running opportunities that Fields might have, he excelled through the air. He completed seven passes of 15 or more yards against the Jets.
Steelers wide receiver George Pickens had his best performance of the season, catching five passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, along with drawing a 29-yard pass interference penalty. The threat of the deep ball also opened up the running game for Najee Harris, who rushed for over 100 yards for the second consecutive week. The only other time Harris had back-to-back 100-yard games was at the end of the previous regular season.
The 37 points scored by the Steelers were their highest total since Week 11 of 2021, when Ben Roethlisberger was still their quarterback.
Wilson Responds to Steelers Fans Booing
Despite ending on a high note, the game didn’t start well for Wilson. He completed only two of his first eight passes, and the Steelers trailed 15-6 in the first half.
The home crowd at Acrisure Stadium grew restless, with some fans booing after a punt and murmurs of Justin Fields chants.
During the postgame press conference, Wilson discussed how he managed to stay calm amid the negativity.
“I really believe in staying neutral,” Wilson said. “Not getting too high or too low. My former mental coach, who passed away a few years ago, always said, ‘Stay the course.’
“We had some chances early in the game. I felt like it was playoff baseball. I started 0-for-2, but I knew I was going to get hot. I kept telling coach, ‘I’m going to get hot,’ and sure enough, we did.”
Steelers undrafted rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. electrified the crowd with an interception of Aaron Rodgers just before halftime. Wilson capitalized by driving the team to a touchdown, bringing the Steelers within two points at the half.
In the second half, there were no more boos, as the Steelers shut out the Jets 24-0 after halftime.
