Kenny Pickett might be gone but there will be a former Pitt Panthers QB on the field when the Pittsburgh Steelers hold their rookie minicamp this weekend. Per The Trib’s Jerry DiPaola, Phil Jurkovec has been invited to the team’s three-day workout on a tryout basis. Only he’ll be practicing as a tight end.
“Jurkovec accepted an invitation to the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie camp that begins Friday and runs through Sunday,” DiPaola wrote Wednesday afternoon.
Jurkovec made the switch from quarterback to tight end late last season for the Panthers after struggling under center. He finished 2023, completing barely more than half his passes with six touchdowns and three interceptions. By year’s end, he was replaced and dabbled at playing tight end.
At his Panthers’ Pro Day, he weighed in at 6047, 243 pounds with 33-inch arms and 10-inch hands. Phil Jurkovec ran a 4.94 40 with a 33-inch vertical, 9’4″ broad, and 4.57 short shuttle. As a Relative Athletic Score, it amounts to an underwhelming 2.99.Â
He’s likely a long shot to stick to the roster but will get a chance to play for the team next door. A Pittsburgh native who attended Pine-Richland High School, he had a winding college journey, beginning at Notre Dame as a high-prized, four-star recruit before transferring to Boston College and finishing up his career at Pitt.
“I have this opportunity, and I’m going to take it,” he told DiPaola.
Over his college career, he completed 58.5 percent of his throws for 6,224 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. His best season came in 2020 with Boston College, tossing 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. With a good arm, size, and production, he generated legitimate first-round buzz. But he dealt with injuries and poor performance in 2021, finishing the year with just six touchdowns. In 2022, he threw 11 scores but eight picks as Boston College finished the year 3-9.
The Steelers’ rookie minicamp will be held May 10-12. The roster will be comprised of the team’s seven draft picks, five undrafted rookie free agents, some first-year players, up to five veteran tryouts, and plenty of rookie tryouts like Jurkovec. A full roster should be released before Friday’s initial practice.
