Jerome Bettis Makes Bold Statement on Kenny Pickett: ‘Potential to be a Superstar’

Kenny Pickett and the Steelers have turned into the trendy pick to be the NFL’s breakout team of 2023. But how far will that breakout take them, and how good will Pickett be in that scenario? Well, former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis thinks Pickett can be more than just good. He went as far as to say Pickett could end up a superstar.

Speaking with WTAE’s Ryan Recker, Bettis broke down his thoughts on Pickett and where the team will generally go. In his opinion, Pickett’s leadership and poise in the preseason give him the potential to be a top NFL quarterback.

“I really believe he has the potential to be a superstar,” Bettis said. “I think if he develops the way he has been and continues to, I think the sky is the limit for this football team because I think we have some special players all over the football field.”

Pickett earned his first NFL captainship, Cam Heyward had many great things to say about Pickett and how far he has come as a leader. For a guy who stepped into the role in the middle of last year, Pickett brings unique intangible qualities to the game of football. But how does he command the room? Heyward offered a little of introspection into that minute detail.

“Kenny is just a kid who continues to work his tail off,” Heyward said. “Whether it’s offseason, in season, communication, he has grown leaps and bounds from last year. With that there is a leadership role. Whether that’s challenging guys on the field, holding guys accountable, working on your communication, having the dialogue back and forth with your guys. That is what a leader should be.”

Those are two ringing endorsements of Kenny Pickett. Still, he has to prove it on the football field after a great preseason. Are the flashes shown during the preseason real, or are they just another flash in the pan? Pittsburgh’s game against the 49ers will go a long way to setting the foundation for where he can go from here.