A change at quarterback hasn’t happened for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the last 18 seasons.
After all, Ben Roethlisberger played through injuries and led the team to two Super Bowls.
But with him retired, the team needs to find a worthy successor.
Head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t sold on Mason Rudolph, and they brought in Mitchell Trubisky.
However, the deal Trubisky signed meant that he might not be the Steelers’ long-term solution.
Pittsburgh may have found the answer by using the 20th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Kenny Pickett.
It’s like a match made in heaven because Pickett played five seasons for the Pitt Panthers.
But Tomlin had a comical take regarding Pickett’s selection.
Mike Tomlin on selecting Kenny Pickett: "It's interesting. We circled the United States the last several months exploring all these guys. And we ended up with the guy next door."
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 29, 2022
The longtime Steelers head coach said, “It’s interesting. We circled the United States the last several months exploring all these guys. And we ended up with the guy next door.”
While they could have scouted Pickett on a bicycle, the Steelers did their homework with the top quarterback prospects.
They’ve attended several pro days to determine the rightful choice.
Football experts predicted they might be more interested in Liberty’s Malik Willis.
Instead, they drafted someone who played in their backyard.
Not Just A Hometown Thing
In the 1983 draft, the Steelers had a chance to draft Pitt Panthers’ Dan Marino to become Terry Bradshaw’s heir apparent.
They went defense and selected Gabriel Rivera.
It turned out to be a mistake after Rivera’s career abruptly ended after a car crash.
The Steelers did not allow Pickett to slip away almost four decades later.
He might not have the biggest hands, but they feel that he’s the right fit.
It’s not every day that you draft a quarterback who threw for 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in his final collegiate year.
Pickett will also have the fans who cheered for him at Pitt rooting for him with the Steelers.
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