Kenny Pickett Potentially Could Play Against Steelers in 2024

With the Pittsburgh Steelers dealing quarterback Kenny Pickett across the Commonwealth to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, it sets up a potential revenge game for Pickett in 2024.

The Steelers are scheduled to face the Eagles in Philadelphia this upcoming season, but it’s unlikely that Pickett will be the starter, unless Jalen Hurts is out with an injury. Let’s be clear, the only way Pickett plays against the Steelers is if Hurts is out or gets hurt during the game. There is no quarterback competition in Philadelphia. Hurts is the franchise guy.

But, man, if there is a situation where Hurts is out and Pickett is set to start, the headlines will be endless. Probably not to the same degree, but it will be similar to when Russell Wilson returns to Denver this season.

Sean Payton just flat-out didn’t like Wilson in Denver. Their personalities are polar opposites and they never saw eye to eye. That wasn’t the case in Pittsburgh. Mike Tomlin did what was best for the Steelers by acquiring Wilson, and Pickett just felt misled and betrayed. He didn’t feel like he would be given a fair competition with Wilson.

Aditi Kinkwabwala of CBS Sports said Pickett was explicitly told the by the Steelers that Wilson would start, reneging on the pledge he’d been given that after two years of chaos, he’d finally be put in position to succeed.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network also said, “Mike Tomlin had promised Kenny Pickett he’d get a chance to compete. Pickett learned about the Russell Wilson signing on social media Sunday night. When they spoke the next morning, Tomlin told Pickett that Wilson was in pole position and would get the first reps. So, Pickett asked for a trade.” Pickett liked Pelissero’s post on X, confirming that’s how things went down.

Russell Wilson revealed during his introductory press conference that Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick recruited him to come to Pittsburgh. Wilson went out to dinner on Thursday night with Cam, Connor Heyward, Pat Freiermuth, James Harrison and Charlie Batch.

Pickett clearly was no longer the top guy in Pittsburgh, and that didn’t sit well with him. He felt like he got duped by the Steelers. I can only imagine that there’s some hard feelings toward the Steelers from Pickett and his camp.

Pickett would love nothing more than to show the Steelers that they were wrong. He could be given that chance this season, if he somehow finds a way to get on the field.