So, here’s the thing about Russell Wilson and Arthur Smith—these guys won’t be having a cozy work relationship anytime soon. In fact, by 2025, I’m guessing they’ll be miles apart. But the drama? Oh boy, it’s kinda juicy and worth mentioning, especially for all you Pittsburgh Steelers fans who care about who’s throwing passes at Heinz Field (yeah, I know it’s got another name now, but it’ll always be Heinz to some of us).
Ben Roethlisberger—let’s just call him Big Ben because, well, why not?—recently decided to spill a bit of tea on his Footbahlin podcast. He kind of confirmed those whispers that Wilson and Smith had a bumpy ride. And apparently, Smith had Wilson on a tight leash, like really tight, which, if true, a lot of folks wouldn’t expect from a dude with a Super Bowl ring.
Ben was chatting with Pat McAfee (that guy’s like everywhere, huh?) and tossed out this nugget: Smith didn’t trust Russ enough to let him do his own thing in crunch time, like during the two-minute drill. Imagine a star quarterback not calling the shots – that’s like having a rock star play cover songs at a dive bar.
Now, don’t ask me where Ben got his intel; he didn’t say if it came from a locker room whisper or a late-night text. But hey, it sounds like there might be more than smoke, more like a firework or two. Earlier, some dude, Gerry Dulac, was already hinting at the same thing, suggesting Smith had a game plan so tight it could give you a headache just thinking about it.
However, it’s not like everyone agrees. Aditi Kinkhabwala has been all doom and gloom about these stories, saying maybe it’s all Wilson trying to spin things his way. So, who knows? Neither Wilson nor Smith is likely to spill the beans. Wilson’s all smiles and clichés in front of the camera, and Smith—well, he’s probably got better things to do than trade barbs in the media.
And McAfee (remember him?) – he’s basically shocked about the whole deal. I mean, what kinda coach does that to a Super Bowl champ? Maybe it’s like grounding your kid after they ace their exams. Just weird.
Usually, in the NFL world, it’s the newbies who get all the restrictions, not someone like Wilson who’s practically got a resume as thick as a dictionary. Come on, you let the seasoned players do their thing, right?
In the middle of this conversation, Big Ben also, maybe outta the blue, kinda backed up Arthur Smith. He says the Steelers need to quit switching quarterbacks faster than changing socks. Someone give Smith a QB he can work with for a while, not these one-season wonders. Even GM Omar Khan has pointed out the messiness of their QB carousel.
Oh, and if Aaron Rodgers ends up in Pittsburgh in 2025? For sure, he’s gonna want the freedom to run things his way. You can’t put a cap on that guy’s creativity without him—let’s face it—possibly mouthing off to the press.
Since Ben hit retirement, it’s been like the Steelers’ offense went into witness protection or something. Safe plays, nothing crazy, just trying to scrape by till the clock runs out. But if Pittsburgh’s eyeing a veteran QB, hopefully, they break free from that rut. A little wild play-calling could do wonders. Trust your QBs a bit more, and who knows? The fireworks could finally match those Terry Bradshaw stories your grandpa can’t stop telling.
Check out the full talk with McAfee below—if you’re into more of Ben and Pat chatting it up.
