On April 28, 2022, Kenny Pickett was drafted by the Steelers 20th overall in the 2022 NFL draft. Pickett was familiar with the city of Pittsburgh as he played quarterback at Pitt for five years. The man threw 81 touchdowns to 32 interceptions and was All-ACC in 2021 for the Panthers. Pickett was projected as the best quarterback out of the 2022 quarterback draft class, which was regarded as a poor class for quarterbacks. Nonetheless, the Steelers used their first-round pick on Kenny, and he would become the new franchise guy for Pittsburgh. Pickett would not see the field until week 4 at home against the Jets. After a poor offensive performance by starting quarterback at the time, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett would be sent out on the field after halftime. Pickett would go on and throw three interceptions and would lose in a close game.
Even with the poor stat sheet, the team and fans were still behind Pickett. The young quarterback would start every game after week 4 and went 7-5. The Steelers would barely miss the playoffs with Kenny at quarterback. However, the future looked very bright for the former Pitt student. Heading into the 2023 season, Kenny was the solidified starter for the Steelers. Pickett would go on to have almost the same statistical season that he had the year before. Steeler fans would see increased flaws in both Matt Canada’s play calling as well as Kenny Pickett’s play. The fans were hoping for a big jump in production for Kenny but did not get what they were looking for. Kenny would suffer an ankle injury in week 12 against the Cardinals. And before we knew it, that would be the final game that Kenny would start for the black and gold.
Mitch Trubisky would start in two games in Pickett’s absence. However, due to bad play, the Steelers turned to their veteran quarterback, Mason Rudolph. And in Mason’s first start, the Steelers’ offense looked stronger than ever. Kenny seemed to be an afterthought as Rudolph was thriving. And cause of this, many reports were stating that Kenny Pickett refused to be the team’s backup behind Mason Rudolph for their week 17 matchup against the Seahawks. Kenny denied these claims stating, “There was no talk of me being a backup quarterback this week in terms of being a 2. If I was healthy enough to play, if the trainers and coaches felt I looked good enough to play, I was going to start and play. If they believe I was not, which they believed I was not, I was not going to dress and suit up for the game.” Nonetheless, these reports did not go away which led to many fans having a bad taste in their mouths about Kenny’s future with the Steelers. Pickett would go on to back up Rudolph for the remainder of the year until their playoff loss to the Bills.
Heading to the Steelers’ 2024 offseason, things seemed to settle down in Pittsburgh. Mason Rudolph hoped for a new chapter in his career as he headed into free agency. Mitch Trubisky would be cut which led to him signing with the Bills. Kenny had the quarterback room all to himself. Until the Steelers would make a star-studded move by signing Russell Wilson right before free agency. The reported plan was that Russell Wilson was brought in to be the team’s starting quarterback and for Pickett to develop and learn under Wilson’s leadership.
Once again though, there were again multiple reports that Pickett was once again upset that the Steelers were in favor of another quarterback. However, these stories were apparently much more accurate than the previous reports. With that, the Steelers would ship Kenny Pickett off with a fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in return for a third-round pick and two seventh-round picks. Steelers fans around the world were shocked about this move. Although Pittsburgh analysts, Gerry Dulac and Albert Breer believed that it was Pickett’s attitude about the Wilson signing that drove the Steelers to make the trade. Breer is quoted as saying, “[Pickett] communicated to the team he was fine with competing for the job, then went the other way when Wilson was added,” Breer reports. “So he’s gone.” So, with all of this in mind, the Steelers were not too pleased with Kenny’s attitude towards competition and so the team traded him away. Kenny has continued to deny any reports about his attitude towards the Wilson signing. Nonetheless, both Kenny and the Steelers look forward to going their separate ways and having a fresh start heading into 2024.