The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Denver Broncos 13-6 on Sunday, which means quarterback Russell Wilson got revenge on his former team, or at least got a taste of, considering he didn't play.
Even without taking the field, the Steelers gave Wilson the game ball, as the quarterback who did play, Justin Fields, referenced this in the postgame press conference, while also pointing out that he really wanted to get a win on behalf of his teammate.
Russell Wilson received a “petty game ball” after the Steelers beat the Broncos 😅
Justin Fields says Russ got the game ball this week, a gesture Mike Tomlin does for players beating their former teams 🏈 pic.twitter.com/DtYOCmPKhl
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 16, 2024
"I think we all know Russ got kind of did dirty last year," Fields said. "I know he wished he could have played today in this game, but it's awesome getting a win for him. He got a petty game ball. It's great getting the dub for Russ."
Apparently this is a pretty customary tradition for the Steelers, as head coach Mike Tomlin gives out 'petty game ball' to players who beat their former teams (per ESPN). So this also means, practice squad wide receiver Brandon Johnson and punter Corliss Waitman each received one as well.
In view of Wilson's time in Denver, he was benched at the end of last year by head coach Sean Payton, then the Broncos released the 35-year-old two years into his five-year, $242.6 million deal, before signing with the Steelers this offseason.
Despite being named the starting quarterback to start the season, Wilson has been dealing with a calf strain, so he had to watch from the sidelines, as Fields took on his former team.
Ultimately, Fields was able to get the job done, as he threw for 117 yards and a touchdown during the win, which comes off of his decent Week 1 outing vs. the Falcons (18-10 win).
Wilson, who was listed as questionable heading into Week 2, will also seemingly have a similar injury status heading into the Steelers' Week 3 matchup, as they will host the Los Angeles Chargers at 1:00 pm ET on Sunday, September 22 in Pittsburgh.
