UNBELIEVABLE: Why the Steelers Traded Kenny Pickett…..
Pickett’s time in Pittsburgh came to an end soon after Russell Wilson was signed. It was anticipated that the two quarterbacks would battle for the starting position throughout training camp, but it doesn’t seem that Pickett was overjoyed to see the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback arrive.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac said that Pickett was sent to the Eagles “because of his behavior and expressed unhappiness” over Wilson’s signing.
“Despite being 14-10 as a starter and getting to work with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Pickett was traded because of his behavior and expressed unhappiness over the arrival of Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, sources told the Post-Gazette,” wrote Dulac on Friday, March 15.
Pickett will now go to a situation in Philadelphia where he’ll likely be the No. 2 quarterback behind Jalen Hurts, who is established as the franchise passer after signing a then-record $255 million contract during the 2023 offseason.
While Pickett was 14-10 as a starting quarterback in Pittsburgh and actually led three game-winning drives and three comebacks during the 2023 season, his production was extremely lacking. His 1.8% touchdown rate is actually the lowest among quarterbacks with at least 22 starts since the 1970 merger, according to Kate Magdziuk of SB Nation’s Behind The Steel Curtain.
He also ranks near the bottom in other major passing categories such as passing yards per completion and passing yards per attempt.
The fact that the Steelers went 3-0 while clinching a playoff berth with a career backup in Mason Rudolph only cemented the idea that Pickett wasn’t the franchise quarterback that Pittsburgh needed.
With that being said, Pickett is a former first-round draft pick who has shown a penchant for winning. Maybe a change of scenery can revive his career and help him develop as a quarterback before he starts again.
DJ Siddiqi covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has covered the NFL and NBA for Forbes, ClutchPoints, CBS Sports, 24/7 Sports and Bleacher Report before joining Heavy. More about DJ Siddiqi