A year ago, Kenny Pickett was in the passenger seat. Today, he has the keys to the car. The clear-cut starting quarterback, the Pittsburgh Steelers are Pickett’s team. Though they may still want to be a run-oriented squad, there will be times where Pickett must step up and make plays, just as he did last year. Just as importantly, a still relatively young Steelers offense needs leaders. And Pickett must be that guy.
For Mike Tomlin, Pickett has the skill set on and off the field to win. Greeting reporters at his opening press conference late Wednesday afternoon, Tomlin discussed Pickett’s mindset.
“Kenny is hardworking and no-nonsense and a legitimate, humble dude,” he told the media via the Steelers’ YouTube channel. “And I think that’s attractive from a teammate perspective. I think he’s thoughtful and considerate of others. I think that’s attractive.”
The first quarterback selected in the 2022 draft, Pickett was the Steelers’ choice in large part due to his leadership. He was older and more experienced than his peers in the class, a five-year player at Pitt who broke out his final year. In training camp as a rookie, he opened up as the third-stringer but surpassed veteran Mason Rudolph by the end of the summer. He then replaced starter Mitch Trubisky at halftime of Week Four and earned his first start the following week.
Though the ride was bumpy early, Pittsburgh smoothed things out after the bye week. Hitting the reset button and finding their identity, the Steelers hit their stride the rest of the way, going 7-2 and nearly sneaking into the playoffs. Pickett showed his leadership in clutch moments, leading game-winning drives in back-to-back weeks against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens.
Pickett will have to make a leap in his play but also his leadership. Last year, he spoke about taking true ownership and the “permission” to lead the room once he was named starter. And he’s already admitted there’s a different feel this season than last. He’s helped earn respect by working hard in the offseason, spending plenty of time with teammates.
Ideally, the results will be clear over the course of camp.
