The first 25 starts of the Kenny Pickett tenure in Pittsburgh have been rather up and down. There have been some highs, like the six fourth-quarter comebacks and the seven game-winning drives he’s had in his career, leading to a 14-10 record overall in the NFL.
But there have been a lot of lows, too, like the inability to put up points, throwing for 160 yards or less in three straight weeks while very clearly regressing, and now dealing with injuries again.
That has raised plenty of questions regarding the second-year man and if he is the franchise quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers moving forward. Many are out on the former Pitt Panthers star, but others are still preaching caution and patience.
That includes former NFL wide receiver and Cincinnati Bengals Ring of Honor member Chad Johnson.
Appearing on the Nightcap podcast with former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe, Johnson pushed back on the notion that the Steelers need a new quarterback.
“Whoa, whoa. Kenny Pickett just got there now,” Johnson said when Sharpe listed the Steelers as a franchise needing a new quarterback. Sharpe, unsurprisingly pushed back, stating that fans of the Steelers are already “picketing” regarding the second-year quarterback and are ready to move on.
That might be the case for many, but there’s still a belief among some in the fan base that Pickett can turn it around and develop into that franchise guy the Steelers believed he would be when he was drafted at No. 20 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.
A new offensive coordinator and a more modern-day approach offensively would do the former Pitt star wonders. Patience is key, too.
“You got to give a quarterback three years now. You know that,” Johnson said to Sharpe, according to video via the show’s YouTube page.
Three years seems reasonably fair in today’s NFL when it comes to quarterbacks and determining if they have the goods or not to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
Pickett isn’t your typical quarterback though. He came into the NFL with more than 50 college starts and was 23 years old. Now, he’s made 25 NFL starts and has regressed rather than progressed like many hoped he would. Sure, he’s not turning the football over and is giving his team a chance to win seemingly every week with the ball security. But he’s not making those winning plays consistently.
Too often, the passing game is a slog for the Steelers. There isn’t enough juice there, period, and without that juice to spread around, receivers have grown frustrated. Concepts and the scheme aren’t helping him much, if at all, but Pickett hasn’t helped himself either when it comes to hitting the layup throws and making the plays when they present themselves.
Pickett is going to get a third season to show he can be a franchise guy, especially with the Steelers set to hire a new offensive coordinator this offseason, whether that’s promoting internally or going outside of the organization. But after three years, he has to show he’s the guy, or the Steelers have to start their search all over again at the position.
That’s just the reality of the position and the demands of the NFL today.
