The scenario is reminiscent of the 2004 NFL Season, when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the first round to become the backup quarterback for Tommy Maddox. Now..18 years later, the past has come back to BLESS US once again.
Even after the acquisition of former Chicago Bears/Buffalo Bills free agent quarterback Mitch Trubisky, it was written in stone that Pittsburgh was definitely going to draft another QB. Basically because it had been very well documented that Mason Rudolph was not going to be Big Ben’s predecessor, even after the passing of Dwayne Haskins.
Enter Kenny Pickett, the 20th overall first round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Pitt, and the next in line as the starting Steelers quarterback. That is after Trubisky gets to show his skills off of course.
Mitch Trubisky, a former first round pick himself (2nd overall) in 2017 is more primed to take the reigns at the start of the season. Accumulating 10,652 yards, 64 touchdowns and only 38 interceptions, while rocking a 29-21 record. Might I also add that he is also 3-0 versus AFC North teams. Those 3 being the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like Roethlisberger, Pickett comes in with zero NFL experience but with the same major upsides as a rookie. He is mobile like Ben was..he can read a pro-style defense like Ben..and he has got an accurate canon of an arm like Ben did. Not to mention playing in the same stadium that he did in college doesn’t hurt either.
Hence the reminiscent of 2004. Trubisky is Maddox..Pickett is Roethlisberger. Mitch will start this season and continue to be the starter, barring some unforseen injury or lack of production. Until either of those come to fruition, Kenny Pickett will soak up all he can to be prepared to step in when need be.
In the 52 games Pickett played at Pitt University he went 32-20, including 11-2 in his 13 appearances in the 2021 NCAA Season, where the Panthers finished with an ACC Championship.
#HereWeGo
STEELERS WORLD 1 