When Will Kenny Pickett See His First Action?

Story by Yinzer Crazy Featured Steelers Writer Adam Davidson. Follow him on Twitter @Adam_J_Davidson

With gloves on in the heat of summertime, Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett has been slinging passes to wideouts during offseason workouts, demonstrating accuracy, velocity and most of all, poise. It’s enough for any Steelers fan who has caught wind of his workouts via word-of-mouth or social media to daydream about his potential. And it’s enough to finally put the talk of his “small hands” to rest. After all, the gloves look pretty darn cool.

Yet we all know the best case scenario is for Pickett to take his time, learn and develop behind a capable starter for a year before taking the reins. Despite the constant high expectations of Steelers Nation, this upcoming season is seen as a rebuilding year for a team that has hemorrhaged premium veteran talent. The offensive line is being retooled once more. Several offensive skill position players are unproven commodities. And while the defense is star-studded, the run defense needs to improve leaps and bounds over last year.

More so than in any recent season, the Steelers can afford a mediocre year, or, God forbid, Mike Tomlin’s first losing season out of sixteen. Signs point in that direction, considering the strength of schedule and a division headlined by the AFC Champion Bengals, and the Steelers’ savage undying rivalry with the Ravens. As it stands, Mitch Trubisky could, and should be the quarterback to lead this team. In the course of the season, Trubisky can build his resume, put some highlight-reel tape together, and pursue free agency at the end of his two-year deal. But that’s how it stands on paper. The only guarantees in football are on the contracts signed in team offices.

If Mitch Trubisky fails to develop as a quarterback and reverts to the inconsistent play we saw in Chicago, the team would languish alongside him and in all likelihood, be a losing football team in the first months of the season. From September through the first couple weeks of October alone, the Steelers face the likes of the Bengals, Bills, Patriots and Buccaneers, splitting those matchups evenly between home and away. It will be a gauntlet for the players and coaches, who will hear the Heinz Field crowd clamoring for their hometown hero Pickett to take the next snap behind center.

If that turns out to be the case, then when may we see Pickett in his first regular season action? Ideally, Pickett’s first career start would come at home, allowing him to acclimate to NFL action in the same stadium he called home as a Pitt Panther. However, if the Steelers are a 2-4 football team or worse following their October 16th matchup with the Buccaneers at home, the Steelers would be facing a two-game stretch on the road versus the Dolphins and the Eagles. Considering Trubisky will be given every chance to prove his worth despite the team’s record, the former Bear will likely get the nod in one, if not both those games, leaving an opening for Pickett to be appointed starter in Week 10, November 13th versus the Saints following a Bye Week. But by then, will it be a lost cause?

There are two schools of thought in this dilemma the Steelers would be facing. One, to ride out the season with the veteran QB, knowing Mike Tomlin’s preference for older, proven talent at the position. Or two, recognize the futility in trotting out the same players expecting different results.

This all goes without mentioning that Trubisky may be the least of a losing team’s issues. He may find chemistry with a young receiving corps and a solid complementary ground game with Najee Harris. The defense may in fact be the source of the team’s frustrations, letting go of late leads to All-Pro quarterback talent such as Burrow, Allen and Brady. But as far as those two aforementioned schools of thought are concerned, I lean more towards the latter.

There’s a reason the team drafted Pickett and it goes beyond seeing their shortcomings at the position in the absence of their former franchise QB. The Steelers see Kenny Pickett as the heir apparent to Big Ben and they’d be well-advised to give him as much NFL action as they can considering what they’ve invested in him, in addition to his 24 years-of-age entering the 2022 season.

However, the Steelers can indeed upset the NFL pundits and talking heads by trotting out Mitch Trubisky and winning football games, delaying Pickett’s ascension for at least one more year. In fact, Kenny Pickett’s first NFL action may amount to starting a “formality” game in Week 18 versus the Browns. That would be the scenario every Steelers fan should hope for if Trubisky retains his status as starter going into the season. But with every passing throw in OTAs, with every single spiraling pass posted on Twitter, Pickett is turning heads.

While it may be a while before Pickett can truly win over his head coach (Tomlin doesn’t consider “football in shorts” real football, after all), the talent is there. It’s staring him straight in the face. Eventually, he’ll be faced with an uncomfortable decision, and he’ll have to hand over the direction of his football team to Kenny Pickett. It’s a decision that might come sooner rather than later, and it’s a decision that hopefully provides more than just a couple likes on social media.