I follow Russell on-field and somewhat off-field, as an ongoing educational project.
Russell was an underdog-conquers-world story for the first two years, then the crushing SB49 disaster happened. Over the next few years, I eventually came to see that "The Pick" in SB49 was a logical, inevitable result of who Russell was as a QB under Bevell. Russell had several elite skills in his early days, elusiveness, scramble drill, and deep ball among them. Bev made him into an elite read-option QB as well. Russell was always flawed in that he couldn't read and process defenses as well as elites like Brady and Rodgers, among others. He CAN read SOME defensive looks, like the cover-zero TD to Jermaine Kearse in NFCCG 2014 season vs. Packers, and the 4th-and-7 TD to Kearse in NFCCG 2013 season vs. Niners. The read-option, plus peak Marshawn Lynch, plus the LOB defense, got the team to two straight Super Bowls.
One of the most interesting contrasts is with Brady. Brady took underpaid deals to allow his overall team to be better, to pay more talent. Russell was the opposite, always about Me, Me, Me, and Me3. Once we paid Russell, the glory days of being a deep-playoff-run team were over. We couldn't pay enough to keep enough overall talent to prop up Russell the limited QB. Peak Lynch faded, the LOB faded through attrition, and we became a one-and-done playoff team. Russell TALKED about team and invididual greatness, but his actions and choices always showed that he was 100% about getting paid.
I wish Russell well in Pissburgh. He is probably a good fit there, with his tendency toward limiting turnovers while making some big plays on deep shots. The Steelers historically play good D and have a good running game. George Pickens will love Russell. The Steelers should do well with a limited QB with a few elite skills. Russell fits the Steelers' "winning model", IF he also runs enough read-option to keep defenses honest. I predict the Steelers to go 11-6 or even 12-5 with Russell at the helm, and win one playoff game and lose the next. They could even win two playoff games if Russell plays his best and plays within himself, and gets lucky on a couple Hero Ball plays.
How could a Hawks fan who is truly interested in ongoing education NOT be interested in following Russell?