The Pittsburgh Steelers had clear visions for Kenny Pickett the moment he got selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The local standout from nearby University of Pittsburgh had many around Steel City believing he’s the perfect replacement for two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger.
Suddenly, one year after the selection, it’s a different quarterback leading the Steelers into the playoff mix ahead of Week 18 in career backup Mason Rudolph. And now, many are wondering if Pickett’s place on the depth chart is looking murky.
Looking at Kenny Pickett’s First Two Seasons
Pickett’s Steelers start has been marred by injuries and a lack of recreating the explosive dynamics he provided less than five miles west of Acrisure Stadium.
The dual threat is yet to complete a full regular season in his first two years in the league. He’s been limited to no more than 12 starts.
Fortunately for Pickett, he’s gone 7-5 behind center in both campaigns. However, here’s what’s glaring in looking at Pickett’s production in his first 24 starts:
- He’s produced just one 300-yard day, which was in his second career start on Oct. 9, 2022.
- In half of his starts, he threw below 200 yards. That includes the 67-yard day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 16, 2022, and the 73 in the 2023 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 29th.
- Pickett hasn’t thrown three touchdown passes in a game yet for his career.
- He already has two career three-interception games.
- Finally, Pickett is now the No. 2 option ahead of the Steelers’ crucial Week 18 game with playoff implications on the line.
Again, the injury bug hasn’t been kind to Pickett, especially with a recent ankle injury that forced Rudolph into action. There will also be detractors who believe Pickett had his development stunted by Matt Canada, who was fired midseason as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator.
Still, the fact it’s Rudolph, not Pickett, leading the Steelers ahead of this crucial game vs. the Baltimore Ravens fuels the notion that Pickett is facing a nebulous future in Pittsburgh.
Is Pickett QB1 Still? Steelers Make That Call
Rudolph has been the “hot hand,” as head coach Mike Tomlin called it.
“We’re going to leave the ball in Mason Rudolph’s hands. He’s done a good job, and we’ve done a good job in the most recent two weeks. We’ve taken care of the ball; he’s taken care of the ball.
“We’ve scored points at a rate which we hadn’t done to this point this year. And with the urgency of the moment, and because of those reasons, we’re going to leave the ball in his hands,” Tomlin told reporters ahead of the showdown with the AFC’s top-seeded team ahead of the postseason.
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Does this mean Pickett is the odd man out in Pittsburgh, especially moving forward?
“But I say all those things with the understanding that I know Kenny is very capable, and particularly as it pertains to this matchup, Kenny has led us to victory late in the game the last two times we played Baltimore. And so, we feel like we got two capable guys,” Tomlin said.
Sounds like Pickett still has the vote of confidence in Tomlin despite his early slow start. Pickett is also cleared to play in the event Rudolph goes down with an injury. But is Pickett willing to accept his role in taking a backseat for this game?
Pickett addresses Reports Involving ‘Attacking my Character’
Pickett gave some blunt clarity on his current situation. Via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor on Jan. 2, he believed his character was under attack and had to clear up that he never, not once, objected to being a No. 2 option.
“I saw reports out there that I felt were attacking my character and how I am as a person, not even getting into the player standpoint of it. There was no talk of me being a backup quarterback this week in terms of being a two.
“If I was healthy enough to play, and the trainers and coaches felt like I would look good enough to play, I was going to start and play. If they believed that I was not — which they believed I was not — I was not going to dress and suit up for the game,” Pickett began.
“So, whoever reported that, I don’t know where it started, it’s kind of crazy what people will write and put out there to try to prove their point or help their standpoint or their careers and what you guys do, but disappointed to see that without any proof or basis of it.”
Pickett concluded that he’s accepted his role to play behind Rudolph.
“This week, I’m now the two. They feel good, four weeks out of the surgery, for me to dress and be the two, so I will be the two and do what I have to do to be ready to go for Baltimore,” he said.
Pickett is in team player mode with the Steelers, preventing himself from becoming a distraction. However, say Rudolph takes Pittsburgh into the playoffs and then pulls off a stunning first-round upset. That’s when Pickett’s Steel City future can look murkier.
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