PITTSBURGH – Although coach Mike Tomlin remained tight-lipped about the Steelers’ quarterback plan for Sunday night, wide receiver George Pickens seemingly confirmed that Russell Wilson will make his first start of the season against the New York Jets.

“Yes, (we got) on the same page after practice and threw more than normal because this is his first start,” Pickens said when asked if he has been working extra with Wilson during practice this week.

But half an hour before Pickens’ interview, Tomlin declined to reveal anything about the plan when asked if he was willing to name a starter.

“Yeah, but I’ll just keep that inside,” Tomlin said. “But I thought (Wilson) was sharp. I thought Justin (Fields) was sharp, too. I thought we had a very productive week from both guys and the unit as a whole.”

Wilson, 35, trained fully for the second week in a row after a persistent calf injury. Earlier this week, teammates confirmed that Wilson was taking first-team reps, as well as leading the quarterback rotation in individual drills. Fields, who went 4-2 with Wilson sidelined, was second in the quarterback rotation during drills.

“Justin has been very good, and we have been very good at times, but not to be confused with great,” Tomlin said earlier this week. “This is a competitive league. We’re trying to position ourselves as that team and we have a player with talent who hasn’t had a chance to play yet, so we’re going to explore those things potentially, sometimes that doesn’t work out.” necessarily have something to do with what Justin did or didn’t do.”

While neither quarterback confirmed Sunday’s plan during their Thursday interviews, Wilson said he was “preparing to be ready to go,” while Fields said of his six starts that he didn’t “play well enough, if I’m honest.” You.”

However, Fields’ coaches and teammates praised the quarterback for his performance and said he was too hard on himself.

“I think he did his best,” running back Najee Harris said. “I think he did a really good job, and he shouldn’t, well I know what he was trying to do, but I’m just saying publicly that we’re all proud of him. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” We have your back. I’m behind you.

“But I think all 11 of us need to pitch in and be there. We definitely need both (the quarterbacks).”