Steelers’ Kenny Pickett aspires to be ‘one of the best’ quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL
In his first offseason in the NFL, Pickett is working hard.
If you are a follower of Kenny Pickett on social media, you must know about the activities of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback during this offseason. Although he has had some free time, the quarterback of Pittsburgh has mostly been honing his skills to get ready for his second year in the NFL.
See more: Pittsburgh Steelers Rug
Pickett, the quarterback who was picked first in the NFL Draft last year, is motivated to improve upon his successful debut season. In addition to enhancing his personal performance, Pickett joined some of his offensive teammates during a recent visit to Florida.
According to the team’s website, Pickett stated that though he had intended to take a longer break, he realized that he had never taken an extended period of time off. After taking a few days off, he noticed that he wasn’t himself and his fiancée, Amy, advised him to resume training.
“I’m just happy doing this. I genuinely like doing it. I like being here. In order to be great you have to have a love for the game. I want to be one of the best. I know what I have to do and there’s a lot of things that we need to do as a team to get us to our goals. I feel like it all starts with me and my play. I’ve got to be the guy that takes us there. I’m ready to take it on.”
Last season, Pickett played an instrumental role in almost taking the Steelers to the playoffs despite their initial 2-6 record. As a former standout player for the Pitt Panthers, Pickett revealed that making it to the playoffs would have held great significance for him and his fellow teammates if Pittsburgh had qualified for the tournament.
Pickett expressed his thoughts soon after the team’s final victory against the Browns, stating that it’s not only about his learning progress but more importantly, it’s about competing for a championship, which is the ultimate goal.
“We would have had an opportunity if we had that chance. When you don’t take care of your own business, you don’t control your own destiny.”
Until the end, Pickett and his fellow players maintained their confidence. Although they had a sluggish beginning, they were able to prevent Pittsburgh from having their first losing record in 19 years. Additionally, the team’s rookie quarterback showed significant improvement, winning his last five games where he played for more than two possessions. In two out of Pickett’s three starts, his game-winning touchdown passes were in the last minute of the game.
Pickett commented on his development in the previous season, stating that he felt a sense of ownership over the offense as he played more. Instead of just trying to execute plays and catching up with the team, Pickett felt like he had complete control over the offense and was able to utilize all of the tools at his disposal when coming to the line of scrimmage. He described this growth as significant.
“I think I made a good jump there in the learning curve. I want to make that leap into Year 2 now.”
The Steelers’ quarterback position for 2023 was confirmed after Pickett’s impressive performance. Tomlin, in his end-of-year press conference, admitted that Pickett is the successor to Ben Roethlisberger, although he dislikes the phrase “franchise quarterback.”
Tomlin expressed uncertainty about the definition of a “franchise quarterback,” stating that while their QB1 is their starting quarterback, the term carries a lot of unnecessary weight and not everyone truly possesses one. He clarified that their starting quarterback holds the responsibilities of the position, but refrained from labeling him with the term “franchise quarterback.”Pickett is determined to establish himself as a key player for the Steelers in the upcoming years. He is willing to put in the necessary effort to achieve this goal, as evidenced by the significant amount of time he spent at the team’s facility during the 2022 season.
Pickett stated that he arrived quite early and departed quite late. He mentioned that it was a bit disheartening to arrive before dawn and leave after dark, but he made sure to take vitamin D. Pickett did not keep track of the exact hours he spent preparing, but instead focused on ensuring that he felt satisfied with his work and confident for the upcoming game before leaving the building.
At the beginning of the season for the Steelers, Pickett was the third quarterback behind Trubisky and Rudolph who were the veterans. However, before the regular season started, Pickett was promoted to the No. 2 position on the depth chart. He didn’t play in the first three games of the season and was on the sidelines. But during the Week 4 game against the Jets, he was given the chance to play and was called into action at halftime.
Pickett had an immediate impact on Pittsburgh’s offense when he stepped onto the field. He managed to score two touchdowns against the Jets, but his costly interception allowed New York to come back and win by four points. Despite throwing for 327 yards against Buffalo the following week, the Steelers were defeated by a score of 38-3. Although Pickett had a decent showing in Miami the next week, a late interception marred his otherwise solid performance. Unfortunately, there weren’t many positives to take away from the Steelers’ Week 8 loss to the Eagles, as Pickett was sacked six times in a blowout defeat that left the team with a 2-6 record heading into their bye week.
The Steelers, along with their rookie quarterback, seemed like an entirely new squad following their Week 9 break. Pittsburgh had a record of 7-2 after the bye, and the defense was reinvigorated with T.J. Watt’s comeback. In addition, the defense was able to limit their opponents to under 20 points in seven out of their last eight games. Pickett, who had thrown eight interceptions in his first five games, only threw one interception for the remainder of the season. As the season went on, the offensive line displayed signs of development, and Pickett was able to endure fewer hits.
“We always knew what we were capable of,” Pickett said. “It was good to see it come true in front of our eyes. Just finding ways to win week in and week out, and no one really cares how it gets done, just find a way to get it done.
“That’s what it’s all about getting wins. It was really good to see.”
A number of rookie players had a significant impact on the Steelers’ improvement, with Pickett being among them. Pickens was impressed with his remarkable catches and was the top scorer for Pittsburgh. Warren, an unselected rookie, provided valuable support to Najee Harris and earned the position of third-down back. Heyward delivered crucial plays, including a third-down catch that set up the Steelers’ last touchdown. Despite his injury-related absence, Leal, a defensive end, made his presence known when given the chance.
Despite the impressive performance of Pittsburgh’s rookies in 2022, Tomlin is eagerly anticipating the potential of the same group in 2023.
Tomlin expressed his excitement about the impressive performance of some young players while acknowledging that there is still a lot of untapped potentials. He emphasized that player development is a crucial aspect of their business model and they are committed to nurturing and supporting the growth of their players. Being a part of the growth and development of their players is significant for both the team and the players themselves.
Similar to Tomlin, Pickett is eager to see how he and his team can perform this season. He is confident that the lessons learned from last year, coupled with the effort he has put in during the offseason, will result in positive outcomes for both himself and the Steelers.
“There were so many new things coming in (last season) that you can’t even put into this one interview that you’re going through as a rookie quarterback in the NFL,” Pickett said. “I just got so much more comfortable from the first day I walked in here to the last day of the season. It’s like night and day. I felt like I’ve been here for two or three years versus one season, how much time I’ve been around everybody. So having that groundwork, that base, the work in the offseason. I’m really excited.”
Read more:
- Top 10 Pittsburgh Steelers Rug For The Super Bowl
- Can Canadians Bet On The Pittsburgh Steelers In 2023 On Online Betting Sites?