Pittsburgh Steelers fans were able to breathe a little easier Tuesday afternoon when QB Kenny Pickett announced he would be playing Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans. He did not take the field to start the second half in this past Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars after sustaining a rib injury. However, there had been a glimmer of hope when Pickett did take some practice throws during halftime.
Pickett instead was replaced by QB Mitch Trubisky who threw one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss. Pickett spoke after practice Tuesday to Steelers.com and the media about the throwing session and why he did not play in the second half.
“Doing what I could to try to go back out there,” Pickett said via Mike Prisuta. “I felt like I couldn’t throw it the way I needed to throw it to help us win.”
Evidently, Pickett was able to throw the ball at some level on the sidelines, but either the pain was too great or he physically could not put enough on the ball, which made him feel like he would be hurting his team rather than helping it. It takes a certain level of selflessness for a competitor to stop and say that by playing, he could actively be hurting the team.
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada also spoke Tuesday and addressed Pickett’s decision Sunday as well as his proclamation about playing Thursday.
“He could have gone back in,” Canada said, via Prisuta and the team site. “You guys were all there. At halftime, he was down there (on the Steelers’ sideline) throwing. He made a decision that he wasn’t able to play at the level to help us win… Great faith in Kenny that if he’s able to play, he’ll play. If he feels like he’s not able to perform and do his job, he’ll tell us.”
That reaffirms that the choice to not play the second half was entirely Pickett’s. It also affirms the level of respect that exists between Pickett and the coaching staff, that coaches trust him to know when he is able to play and when he isn’t.
Now whether Pittsburgh would have won this past Sunday with a healthy Pickett is a subject for debate. The offense was struggling, but Pickett has shown an ability to elevate his game late in close games. Whether the game was close enough at 17-3 with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter after Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. scored on a long pass play where the defense broke down is another thing entirely. However, Trubisky was able to make it a one-score game thanks to a slant pass to WR George Pickens, who hurdled two defenders en route to the end zone.
Regardless of whether Pickett being healthy and playing the second half on Sunday would have been enough to turn the loss into the win, the Steelers will go again Thursday night with him starting, barring any unforeseen setbacks. Hopefully, for Pittsburgh and the fans’ sake, it will be a different outcome after the game.
