PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Russell Wilson was limited in practice on Thursday after reporting calf tightness, head coach Mike Tomlin said on Thursday.
Tomlin said that Wilson will be evaluated after reporting calf tightness, the same injury in the same leg that kept him out of the first two weeks of training camp.
Tomlin said that there is no long-term concern about Wilson’s calf. Wilson was originally scheduled to speak with the media after practice on Thursday, but that was pushed back to Friday.
Backup quarterback Justin Fields also declined to speak with the media on Thursday.
“Obviously, Russ is a great competitor,” wide receiver Van Jefferson said. “He wants to be out there. If Justin has to step out there, he’s more than prepared to do that. But at the end of the day, we’re just going out there and playing. Whoever gets out there, the job still has to get done. So both quarterbacks are capable of doing that on Sunday and we’re just going to roll with who ever’s out there.”
Wilson originally injured his calf — it hasn’t been reported which one — while pushing a blocking sled during the team’s training camp-opening run test. He then missed multiple weeks of training camp, first not participating at all, and then spending another week or so as a very limited participant before eventually getting in a full week of work before the second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.
Wilson played five series against the Bills and another one series against the Detroit Lions in the preseason finale.
Fields started the preseason opener against the Houston Texans, and played the entire rest of the Buffalo game after relieving Wilson. He also played just one series against the Lions.
Veteran Kyle Allen is the team’s third quarterback and would serve as the backup if Wilson is unable to play on Sunday. The Steelers do not have a quarterback on their practice squad.