Just a few days removed from exiting Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at Acrisure Stadium due to a rib injury, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett believes he will be ready to play on a short week against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football.
Speaking Tuesday from inside the locker room at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Pickett stated to reporters emphatically, clarifying earlier remarks, that he will be playing “for sure” Thursday against the Titans, according to a tweet from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski.
Head coach Mike Tomlin previously left the door open for Pickett to play on Thursday, telling reporters Monday during his weekly press conference that the “door is ajar” for Pickett to play.
Pickett exited the loss to the Jacksonville right before halftime after taking a hit from Jaguars defensive lineman Adam Gotsis that should have been a roughing-the-passer penalty, pushing the Steelers into Jacksonville territory. Instead, it went uncalled, Pickett was injured and couldn’t come back into the game.
In his media session, Pickett stated he did light throwing but that he will be ready to play Thursday.
“When I’m coming through, being able to have torque, rotating [is when I feel it],” Pickett said to reporters, according to video via Adamski on Twitter. “Obviously your ribs are a huge part of that, so just being smart these two days and you get ready to go Thursday night.”
Prior to being ruled out for the rest of the game Sunday, Picket tried to give it a go after halftime but just didn’t feel right. The Steelers turned to backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky the rest of the way. With the short week and the nature of Pickett’s injury, it seemed rather unlikely that the second-year man was going to be able to give it a go.
But he’s determined to play Thursday night in primetime in a must-win game for the Steelers. The 3-4 Titans come into town riding high after a thrilling 28-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons in which rookie QB Will Levis, making his first career start, threw four touchdown passes.
Though the practice Tuesday for the Steelers was more of a walk-through and Pickett stated that he did light throwing, Wednesday will be the key determining factor in his availability for the Thursday Night Football matchup. Tomlin highlighted that day of work as the Steelers’ key workday in his weekly press conference.
