Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett is set to make his first start of the 2024 season on Sunday, with Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts in the concussion protocol.
Hurts did not practice at all this week and was ruled out on Friday by head coach Nick Sirianni. He was injured during last week’s 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders.
Pickett replaced Hurts after he was injured early in the game, finishing 14 of 24 for 143 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also appeared in relief duty in three other games, all blowouts. This will be his first chance to start since being traded to Philadelphia by the Steelers in March.
“I’m very excited. It’s a big opportunity,” Pickett said on Thursday. “I’ve been working hard to stay ready and I felt like I was in a good position last game with my preparation and now having a week to practice, I’ll feel even better going into the stadium. So, I’m excited. I just want to get the win.”
Pickett was traded along with pick No. 120 in the 2024 NFL Draft for Pick No. 98 and two 2025 seventh-round picks. The Steelers used pick No. 98 on NC State linebacker Payton Wilson.
Pickett, the Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, had requested a trade from Pittsburgh after the Steelers signed Russell Wilson as a free agent this March.
In 24 starts over two seasons in Pittsburgh, he completed 446 of 713 passes (62.6) for 4,474 yards (4.97 adjusted net yards per attempt), 13 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a 78.8 passer ratings.
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The Eagles need a win over the Dallas Cowboys in order to clinch first place in the NFC East, and they remain in the hunt for the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC and the first-round bye that comes with it, though they currently trail the Detroit Lions by one game. The Lions hold the tiebreaker between those teams.
The Cowboys and Eagles will kick off at 1 p.m. from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The game will be broadcast by FOX and shown in the Pittsburgh market on WPGH-TV Channel 53.
