Justin Fields will remain as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starter ahead of Russell Wilson, with the veteran to serve as the backup this weekend, it has been announced.

While Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had dropped hints that Wilson could take over as the starter, he has now announced that they will stick with Justin Fields this weekend against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Tomlin named Wilson as the starter and offensive captain before the season, only for the veteran to suffer a hamstring injury that saw Fields to step in. And while Fields led the team to an impressive 3-0 start, the Steelers have now lost their last two games with fans being frustrated with the quarterback’s inconsistent play.

Wilson was said to have impressed in practice this week when going up against the first-team defense, and gave reporters his mindset heading into the weekend on whether he’d be starting.

When asked if he’ll start, Wilson said: “That’s a good question. I think for me I’m preparing in my mind to be ready to go. That’s kind of my mentality, to help us win, whatever that is.

“We all want to play. We all want to be out there. I’ve never been in this place that I’m in, and it’s tough. But at the same time, you know there are better days ahead. There are challenges along the way.”

Wilson has been the emergency third-choice quarterback for the Steelers through the first four weeks of the season, while being sidelined due to his hamstring injury. He will now be the QB2, waiting to come in should Fields struggle.

Wilson will suit up for the first time, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll start ( 

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Whatever the case, the former Super Bowl winner stated he now feels ready if he’s called upon – hoping to get back to his best after two disappointing years with the Denver Broncos.

Wilson said: “I feel confident I’ll be ready to play and play at a high level. I think we’re being really smart. This is my first week of really being back out there with the guys and playing, so I feel really confident about that. The ball is spinning. That’s a good thing. I have no doubt in my mind once I step in between the white lines that I’ll be ready to go.

“The biggest thing is being able to run and move around well. I’ve started to run the past couple of weeks, a little bit by little bit every day and be smart about it. I was able to move around today. It’s a process. It’s a process that I don’t love, but also, at the same time, you get to figure out your mental fortitude. You can always lead in different ways. That’s important. This is a big game for us. We’re 3-2, and we have to focus on playing a really talented Raiders team.”