Russell Wilson Named Steelers Captain Days After Becoming Starting Player, Beating Out Justin Fields (Video)

Just days after officially taking over as Pittsburgh’s starter, Russell Wilson was named team captain for his first season with the Steelers.

Wilson was named one of four Steelers captains this season on Monday, along with Miles Killebrew, Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt. The Steelers typically select their quarterback as one of the team’s captains each season. Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky were captains in recent years when they held the starting position, and Ben Roethlisberger has been a captain in nearly every season he’s played in Pittsburgh.

Wilson signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract to join the Steelers earlier this season. The 35-year-old spent the past two years with the Denver Broncos, where he also served as team captain before being released in March. Wilson threw for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions with the Broncos last season, though they went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season.

Wilson signed with the Steelers just one day after the team traded former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. The two quarterbacks battled for the starting quarterback position throughout training camp, but Wilson was officially named the team’s starting quarterback on Wednesday.

Wilson appeared briefly in two preseason games for the Steelers. He went 10-of-12 for 73 yards passing and no touchdowns. Fields appeared in three games.

Wilson’s first game of the season will be Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. The Steelers went 10-7 last season and made the playoffs before falling in the wild-card round for the third time in the last four years.