PITTSBURGH — Justin Fields is in line to make a third consecutive start at quarterback for the Steelers when they play their home opener Sunday afternoon against the Chargers.

Russell Wilson, who has been dealing with a calf injury since late July, has not been cleared by the team's medical staff and is not scheduled to fully participate in practice on Wednesday afternoon.

"We're in the same posture as we were in last week with Russ," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. "As I sit here today, Russ is not scheduled to be a full participant in practice, and so we're readying a plan that features Justin and his readiness. We'll follow Russ throughout the week, and if his participation gets to a level where we should consider him, we'll delve into that at that time. We'll stay in that mindset until something else happens."

Fields has the Steelers atop the AFC North with a 2-0 start. He has completed 69.8% of his passes for 273 yards and one touchdown in those games. Most importantly, he has not turned the ball over.

While the statistics don't pop, Tomlin said Fields has impressed with his intangible qualities.

"He loves to compete," Tomlin said. "He has a quiet confidence about him. He doesn't change in environments. There is a clarity in his communications that is comfortable."

The depth chart remains unchanged at quarterback. Wilson remains the starter, and Fields is listed as the backup. When asked Tuesday if there was still a quarterback competition between Wilson and Fields, Tomlin responded: "I've stated where we are. At the beginning of Week 1, I said it was debatable. And so we were staying status quo. Russ was in pole position. My position regarding the pecking order on the depth chart has not changed, guys. And it won't until the other guy gets healthy. Then we'll give it real consideration. Until then, I won't speculate. I don't know how many ways I can tell you guys that."

In other injury news, Tomlin said left guard Isaac Seumalo "might be closer" to returning to the lineup. Seumalo has missed the first two games with a pectoral injury. Linebacker and special-teams ace Tyler Matakevich has a hamstring injury and tight end MyCole Pruitt has a knee injury. Both are expected to be limited in the early portions of the week.

What he said

"None of your business, respectfully. There are certain things that go on among teams that I don't talk about whether it gets out or how it gets out. It's unimportant to me, and I'm not overly guarded against it, but there are certain things as a leader that I talk to the collective about that I have zero intentions of sharing with the larger public because it's about our collective and how we come together and how we appreciate and support one another. I can't give you all the ingredients to the hot dog because you might not like it." — Tomlin, when asked about awarding "petty" game balls to Russell Wilson and other former Broncos after the victory Sunday afternoon in Denver.

Our take

Uh-oh. It sounds like Justin Fields revealed something he wasn't supposed to reveal during his postgame interview. Apparently, these "petty" game balls have been awarded for years, and no one on the outside knew about it. Tomlin has said he sometimes uses his Tuesday news conferences to speak to his players. Well, consider this a message to Fields and other new Steelers to keep certain postgame rituals inside the locker room.

Up next

The Steelers play host to the Chargers at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers lead the all-time series 24-11, but they have lost the past two meetings to the Chargers at home and haven't beaten them at home since 2009. The Chargers won the most recent meeting, 41-37, in Los Angeles in November 2021.

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