Typically, young quarterbacks in the NFL don’t have a ton of input in the gameplan week to week like some more established veteran and star quarterbacks do in today’s game.
Pittsburgh Steelers second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett isn’t your typical young quarterback though, at least in his preparation off the field.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe after reporting to training camp, Pickett stated that he’s been part of conversations this offseason taking things out of the playbook and implementing new concepts with third-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada. He believes that once the season starts, he’ll have an input in the Steelers’ offensive gameplan week to week.
“Yeah, I think I already have. I think I was part of a good process of adding some things this offseason and during spring taking some things away that like and going back and watching the tape,” Pickett said, according to video via 93.7 The Fan’s Jeff Hathhorn on Twitter. “So, I feel like I’ve been a part of those conversations, so I think that definitely when the gameplan starts coming around during the season I’ll have an input as well.”
That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Throughout the offseason Pickett’s taken ownership of the offense on the field and off it and has certainly earned the trust and respect of head coach Mike Tomlin and Canada from his football IQ and overall understanding of concepts within the scheme.
In just a short time, Pickett’s already shown himself to be a leader and film junkie, absorbing as much information as he can to make him as prepared as possible heading into every game. He showed that entering his first career start against the Buffalo Bills, too, pulling cornerback Levi Wallace aside for nearly an hour in the week before the game to speak to the former Buffalo cornerback and glean some inside information.
Having the foresight to talk to a former Bills player and pick his brain is impressive enough, but there was more of that from Pickett throughout the season that continued to show his work ethic and determination. Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show in mid-January, Pickett revealed he even joined Tomlin and the coaching staff in meetings early in the week to get a jump on the game plan. An unusual move for a rookie quarterback, it shows how seriously Pickett takes the job, not to mention the fact that he has his own cubicle in the facility for film study.
Since coming into the NFL, Pickett has established himself as a hard worker, one who will go the extra mile to ensure he’s fully prepared for games from a film study perspective. He is constantly putting in work throughout the offseason, aiming to get extra throws in with his pass catchers to build rapport ahead of the season.
Pickett was instrumental in organizing a team throwing session in Miami earlier in the offseason, where names like backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky, wide receivers Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Calvin Austin III and tight end Connor Heyward were in attendance, putting in the work away from the spotlight.
That work continued in the offseason once veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson II was acquired via trade from the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. Pickett and Robinson threw together in New Jersey shortly after the conclusion of minicamp, continuing to build a relationship together.
Now, entering training camp as the clearcut starter and burgeoning face of the franchise, Pickett has a real investment and ownership in the offensive scheme and should have more of a role in the gameplan weekly with Tomlin and Canada. That’s huge for a young quarterback. A confident quarterback that has a belief in the scheme and play calling is a dangerous one — in a good way — and that rubs off on teammates offensively as well.
Pickett seems to be far ahead of the curve in the development stage in the NFL, especially off the field.
