If the decision was in QB Kenny Pickett’s hands, he’d play this weekend against the Seattle Seahawks. But that choice rests in the team’s medical staff and head coach Mike Tomlin.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Pickett said he feels good enough to suit up. Via the PPG’s Ray Fittipaldo, Pickett told reporters he feels good and “wants to play.”
Pickett has missed the last three games after suffering a high ankle sprain on Dec. 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, undergoing surgery the following day. When he had the same procedure at Pitt, it took him 26 days to return to action. Though every injury and recovery are unique, that timeline would align with him being able to play Sunday in Seattle, essentially a must-win game for Pittsburgh.
But Pickett understands that the decision is above his pay grade. He’ll just do whatever the team decides.
“I feel like I could. I always try to push myself,” he said via The Trib’s Chris Adamski when asked if he could play. “It’s the trainers, it’s the coaches, it’s what they see me moving and how they want to go about it.”
During his Tuesday press conference, Mike Tomlin said the team would take the same approach as last week. Mason Rudolph will start at the beginning of the week while Pickett’s progress is monitored. Last week, Pickett was limited throughout the entire week before being ruled out ahead of Saturday’s game versus Cincinnati. Per the PPG’s Brian Batko, Rudolph confirmed that he took the starting reps today.
Rudolph shined in Pickett and Mitch Trubisky’s place last Saturday, throwing for nearly 290 yards and two touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s best offensive showing of the past two years. It makes it hard to turn away from a result like that, something the Steelers have long been searching for. Pickett saying he’s healthy could wind up with Tomlin, explicitly or not, going with Rudolph as simply the quarterback with the best chance to win and not the healthiest one available.
As shared by WPXI’s Shelby Cassesse, Pickett said he couldn’t put a percentage on his current health but didn’t play last week due to a lack of movement and ability to protect himself from pressure.
Pickett’s comments are going to create controversy that Tomlin tried to tamp down during his Tuesday press conference and will make for an interesting injury report come Thursday.
