Kaboly: Mike Tomlin reinstating Kenny Pickett as QB1 is Steelers’ best option
PITTSBURGH — Who knows if Mike Tomlin, deep down inside, truly believes Kenny Pickett can be the quarterback of the future for the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Does Tomlin believe Pickett is good enough that the coach won’t be subjected to another excuse-making, end-of-season news conference, as he had inside the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Thursday, days after yet another first-round playoff loss?
Tomlin can’t be feeling good about his quarterback room, but that didn’t stop him from proclaiming what was his only real option, considering the circumstances: KP8 is back to being the Steelers’ QB1, even though Tomlin didn’t even have enough faith in the former first-round pick to play him over Mason Rudolph during the most critical part of the season.
Asked if Pickett, who was benched in favor of Rudolph after being deemed healthy following ankle surgery, will return as the Steelers’ starting quarterback entering the offseason, Tomlin said matter of factly, “He will.”
Even if it was a half-hearted declaration through gritted teeth, it is the best option for the organization at this point.
Tomlin quickly added the caveat, “Obviously, there will be competition,” but he made it pretty clear that Pickett will get one last chance to live up to his draft status — the first QB taken in 2022, at No. 20, and only the fourth Round 1 QB the Steelers have drafted in 65 years — in 2024.
This despite a major disappointment of a season in which expectations were sky-high for Pickett, following a rookie year where his intangibles were off the charts — and, with hindsight, perhaps blinded many to the lack of tangibles associated with that first season.
“I am extremely confident in him,” Tomlin said. “I feel stronger about some of the intangible things than I did obviously when we started first doing business with him because I have evidence of it. He is highly competitive and professional. He doesn’t run from challenges, he runs to challenges. I think that’s evident in the way he plays, particularly at the end of close football games. He’s got a good framework to work with, and for a young guy, he is mature beyond his years. I’m excited about him.”
In a 30-plus-minute news conference where Tomlin was unusually open and honest, he said that Pickett has a lot riding on 2024, as he looks to overcome a season filled with injuries and disappointments.
“Certainly it’s a big year for him,” Tomlin said. “We met this morning, and we acknowledged that. It is a huge year for him. But I’m also excited about just watching him wear that component of it because I know how he’s wired and built, and I’m excited about watching him attack it.”
Pickett’s second-year jump never happened. Instead, it was a major step backward, despite a flawless preseason.
He struggled with accuracy, was unwilling to stay in the pocket, couldn’t stay healthy and failed to overcome an offense that was poorly coordinated by Matt Canada. Add in the unexpected spark Rudolph gave the team down the stretch, and Pickett’s future went from bright to cloudy within a couple of months.
