When Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett went down with a knee injury against the Houston Texans on Sunday, it looked like the young quarterback’s season was in jeopardy as he limped off the field. However, news came out in the following days that Pickett suffered a bone bruise rather than a dreaded ligament injury that might have cost him the season, meaning that he could return to action relatively soon.
By relatively soon, that means this coming weekend against the Baltimore Ravens. Head coach Mike Tomlin mentioned in his press conference that Pickett was going to practice this week and that the team would leave the door open for him to return to start against Baltimore. Pickett confirmed those statements while speaking to the media yesterday, stating that he will be ready to go by Sunday.
Pickett’s QB Coach Tony Racioppi hopped on The Fan Morning Show Thursday morning to talk about Pickett’s prospects of playing against the Ravens on Sunday and was asked how tough his thinks Pickett is regarding playing through the injury.
“If the scale’s one to 10, 19,” Racioppi said on The Fan Morning Show. “He has always been that way and he’ll always be that way. And he’s not a guy… you see some people say they should rest him this week. He’s got the bye week. That’s not how he’s wired. Like if he can walk, he’s gonna play unless you cut his leg off. So, he’s gonna compete and he cares about Sunday, and he’s gonna play for his teammates and his coaches and the wonderful city of Pittsburgh.”
Racioppi tends to express eternal optimism for Pickett and his toughness, but you would expect that coming from his mentor, who also serves as Pickett’s hype man to the media. Still, Pickett has displayed toughness in the past, being fairly durable last season as a rookie outside of the concussions that forced him out of the game against the Buccaneers and Ravens.
In the city of Pittsburgh, you gotta be tough, especially as the team’s starting quarterback. Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger epitomized what it meant to be tough, playing with a multitude of injuries throughout his career. Terry Bradshaw was also known for his toughness back when the Steelers were a dynasty in the 70s, routinely taking big shots from opposing defenders, but hanging in there and helping captain an offense that helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls.
If Pickett wants to belong in Pittsburgh, he must show he’s tough. That being said, if his knee injury affects his ability to move in the pocket or scramble if the play breaks down, then the conversation must be had regarding if playing a hurt Pickett is better than the alternative of starting a healthy Mitch Trubisky. Pickett’s play has been shaky, to say the least, so far. Rolling him out there without his mobility could backfire in a big way as the Ravens will look to exploit that to their advantage.
