2024 Steelers Season Recall: Training Camp Begins
Steel City Underground presents our 2024 Steelers Recall: a look back at Pittsburgh Steelers games and storylines from last season.
As the Steelers reported to its training camp headquarters at Saint Vincent’s College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, there were a number of storylines to talk about in the starting days. From position battles to new faces, speculation was abound on what the 2024 iteration of the team would look like.
One storyline dominated the headlines as it had for the previous few offseasons – and even the current one in 2025: the quarterback position. The previous two seasons saw three passers competing in camp for a starting spot that was vacated by Ben Roethlisberger following the 2021 season. In 2022, a three-way competition began between Mitchell Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, and Mason Rudolph that was eventually won by Trubisky, then by Pickett, and finally relinquished to Rudolph by the time the 2023 season completed.
As the team entered the 2024 preseason and training camp, the slate was wiped clean for a new trio of quarterbacks. The Steelers signed veteran Russell Wilson and traded for former Chicago Bears first-round pick Justin Fields as their starter and backup. Kyle Allen was added as a third quarterback, completing the sweep, but the story remained with the two players atop the depth chart.
Having brought in Russell Wilson from the Denver Broncos in March, Mike Tomlin must have hoped to have had him available, fit, and ready for the new season. However, a troublesome calf injury kept Wilson out of action, although Tomlin didn’t appear overly concerned about the situation. Tomlin insists that moves to ease Wilson back from his injury are “to keep a minor thing from becoming major.”
Wilson also noted how he got hurt, which appeared awkward to outsiders:
“You know, we were doing a sled push thing and just tweaked it a little bit. So, you know, just working hard, and sometimes things happen. But the good news is that I feel good. And we’ll get there. The good thing is I’m getting a lot of the mental reps and throwing stuff on the side and, and the post practice and all that as well.”
For those wondering why a 35-year-old veteran was pushing a sled, join the crowd. It speaks to Wilson’s competitiveness as well as his dedication to rehab his image of being a diva as well as building a rapport with teammates. In Wilson’s place, former Bears starter and first-round pick, Justin Fields took the first team reps through the first two weeks of training camp.
While being sidelined, Wilson also observed his colleagues and praised Fields’s play:
“He’s done a good job. Every play, he’s going against some really good defense. So, every day there’s some really great plays and plays he responds back to and this and that. So it’s just, that’s the part of practice and he’s doing a good job. He’s a really good competitor. He processes as well, and he’s a tremendous young talent for sure.”
Though Fields was brought in as a backup, the more he played, the more a quarterback controversy began to brew. (Which is evident in how some folks still believe Fields won the job to this day.)
Despite the injury causing Wilson to mostly participate in only individual drills on a limited basis, he felt as if he could jump in and start if there was a game:
“Yeah, I want to get back today yesterday you know, but Coach [Mike Tomlin] said, ‘Listen, we got we got time here.’ I got a lot of reps in the offseason, we’re not just trying to rush it we got in. I said we’ve got21 games to play. You know, somebody said we’ve got to have you for 17th, I’m thinking 21 or possibly 20. Hopefully in first place. But that’s just got to be the mentality you have and so I’m excited to get to work every day. The guys are doing a tremendous job of learning and studying all the bonding we’re doing. We were sitting out on the on the porch last night just talking, having fun. Those are the kind of moments that you cherish and I’ll be back sooner than later.”
21 games was big talk for a team that Coach Tomlin last led a Super Bowl title in 2009. As camp broke, the hope was Wilson could be the key to Tomlin breaking his bad luck streak in the playoffs. Instead, the focus shifted to Fields taking the first-team reps. Mike Tomlin has also taken flak from fans over the tenure of his career for what fans viewed as not holding players, himself, or his staff, accountable.
The first week of camp illuminated the fact that accountability is next level and Tomlin is intense and focused, as are his staff. It was an unexpected start to seeing new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith‘s plans in action. Smith was hired to replace Matt Canada, who was fired midseason and replaced by two interim coaches, Mike Sullivan and Eddie Faulkner.
Players haven’t just been coached up or called out. They are learning to expect taking laps for failures or mistakes. Smith set a tone of high expectations and he certainly hasn’t been alone among coaching staff. The extra runs aren’t lackadaisical shuffling; they’re legitimate reminders to hustle and get in the game mentally and physically. First round draft selection and rookie OL Troy Fautanu noted:
“It’s holding us accountable… for as ‘high school’ as you think it is, I don’t want to run laps. I’m going to try not to do that again.”
The Steelers have also had referees taking part in practices earlier than usual, requiring players, rookie to veteran, to elevate their play while limiting errors. The increased intensity at practices led to several fights breaking out on the field. The events were blown out of proportion, more a product of media and fans on social media, as the hot summer days lead to the predicted combativeness.
Fans were also eager to see the Steelers biggest free agent acquisition, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, take reps against his former rivals. Highly ranked college linebacker Payton Wilson was also a hot prospect to watch in the same position, as the two players would hope to shore up a group that saw Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander both finish their seasons on injured reserve in 2023.
Equally intriguing were the offensive line additions, with aforementioned first-round pick Troy Fautanu and second-round selection Zach Frazier taking their rookie reps. It was being noted on a drill-by-drill basis as to which team each would take reps with. Frazier started camp as the second center behind Nate Herbig, while Fautanu fluctuated immediately, finding himself at right tackle in most drills and sometimes with the first team. (The hope was Fautanu would convert from left-to-right in the pros, sending previous year’s first round pick Broderick Jones back to his natural left tackle position.)
New kickoff rules were also creating unique practice situations, as the NFL adopted XFL-like rules for the 2024 season. Teams experimented with various ways to kick and return, including placing the ball on the ground (no tee), with its tips pointed at either sideline. The result often resembled a squib kick or line drive. A camp fan favorite, John Rhys Plumlee, doubled as a quarterback and kick returner, displaying his athleticism as a two-sport star in college. Veteran kicker returner Cordarrelle Patterson also generated a lot of special teams buzz once he resumed practicing after starting camp sidelined.
Another well-talked about area on the Steelers roster was the quality and depth of the wide receivers. After trading Diontae Johnson and releasing Allen Robinson during offseason, third-year pro George Pickens became the top receiver on the team by default. A group of relatively unknown players were looking to fill the other starting slot, such as Calvin Austin, Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins and Scotty Miller, as well as 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson. Like the other Wilson (Russell), Roman was often found soothing injuries on the sideline: a theme that would recur throughout the season.
Off of the field, GM Omar Khan was working overtime to maneuver for another receiver to add opposite Pickens. For months the team was rumored to be in pursuit of several players, notably disgruntled San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk sat out of his training camp to start, but eventually re-signed with his team which opened the door for Khan to extend some of Pittsburgh’s own talent.
Among the Steelers to ink new deals at the end of summer were long-time defensive captain Cameron Heyward and tight end Pat Freiermuth.
