“I wanna get back to having fun.” In 2024, when Kenny Pickett’s chapter with the Pittsburgh Steelers came to a close, this is what he said. Straightforward and innocent at first glance, but it tells a tale of a difficult period in his career. In Blitzburgh colors, Kenny found himself between a rock and a hard place, most of the time. From being the first-round hope to finding the bench in the playoffs. The story of Kenny Pickett reveals a harsh truth about a quarterback’s unjust journey in a disordered system.
Picked in the first round (20th overall) in 2022, Kenny arrived in the newly named Acrisure Stadium. Before him, Ben Roethlisberger was in charge under center in Pittsburgh. He had an incredible 18-year career with them. Two Super Bowls, 6 Pro Bowls, 2-time NFL Passing Yards leader…the list goes on. Big Ben was an icon. When he retired, Pittsburgh sought a solution in the 2022 Draft—rookie Kenny Pickett. But the Steel City wanted a legend out of him. Pickett had a forgettable season that year with a 63.0% completion rate, 2404 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions in 13 games, and the Steelers decided they’d seen enough. After a disappointing injury at the start of 2023, Pickett was no longer in the plans.
The year after, he adorned the Eagles’ uniform. Terry Bradshaw comments on the issue, saying, “They didn’t even do anything to build around him… I’ve always said does you draft a quarterback in the first round. He is going to be successful. But you’ve got to surround him with the kind of talent.” Ignored and unappreciated, Kenny was not having “fun” playing. He didn’t get the spotlight in Pittsburgh; he was considered a flop. But while he was a flop with the Steelers, he was a champion elsewhere.
In a recent Instagram story, Kenny Pickett’s wife, Amy showed off new bling with the Super Bowl LVIII ring on her finger. Kenny, now a Super Bowl winner with the Eagles, received the ring last night and the missus didn’t hold back from putting it on display. The player, who left the Steelers in search of fun, got himself a ring.
Image Credits: Instagram/@kennypickett
The irony of it is as magnificent as the jewelry on Amy’s finger. While Kenny didn’t play the starting role or have a major contribution to the Eagles’ successful campaign, he did play a role as the backup QB. Relieving Hurts whenever he required.
In Week 16, when Jalen Hurts got concussed, Pickett was there to pick up the pieces. Although they lost the game to the Commanders, Pickett had a noteworthy performance. Playing through broken ribs, he completed 14 of 24 for 143 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT. His performance led him to start the game on Week 17. He went 10/15 for 143 yards, 1 passing touchdown, and 1 rushing TD. He was eventually taken off because of the injury sustained the week before.
In limited action, Kenny made a name for himself with his toughness. It makes you wonder what he could have achieved with the Steelers if Mike Tomlin supported him. Now, with him moving on to the Browns this season, his role may determine how far they can go.
Joe Flacco gains an edge over Kenny Pickett
Champion in 2024, what awaits him in 2025? Kevin Stefanki’s QB Locker room has been a fresh debate in the NFL circle ahead of training camp. There has been endless discussion over the 4 QBs in their arsenal, namely, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders. The starting position for Week 1 will likely come down to either Flacco or Pickett, the veterans on the team. According to Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein, Flacco has the edge.
“Even so, it’s fair to consider Flacco the early frontrunner for Week 1 starter. Browns brass emphasized decision-making and processing as key tenets of how they’ll decide who starts the season, and Flacco’s six games (playoffs included) with head coach Kevin Stefanski and Cleveland in 2023 give him a head start. He’s so ahead that he was “punished” with minimal reps in offseason activities. If the Browns believe he’s their best option to start the season, they’ll want to reallocate reps in the coming weeks. If they believe someone else can keep up — keep an eye on the trade market,” wrote Epstein.
The only concern fans have over Flacco is his underperforming season last year with the Colts. He only averaged 65.8% completions, 265.5 yards per game, 7.1 yards per attempt, 10 TDs and 7 INts in 6 starts. Compared to 2023, when he had 62.8% completion but 320.5 yards per game, 7.9 yards per attempt, 14 TDs and 10 INTs, his production reduced drastically. While his performance in 2024 was mediocre for his standards, his return to the Browns may bring his old confidence back.
And if Stefanski prefers Flacco over Pickett, Pickett’s value in the team will drastically drop. After all, he’s not a rookie anymore. He’s a Super Bowl champion. If he can’t perform at that level, there’s a chance Pickett will not be opted for Stefanski’s 53-man roster. With 4 QBs competing, one of them will have to go. And Browns’ GM Andrey Berry is notorious for not wanting his draft picks cut in the first season. Therefore, whoever is the loser between Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett may decide who’s left out.
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