Steelers All 90: QB Kenny Pickett
All 90 is a Pittsburgh Steelers Now series profiling each of the 90 members of the Steelers 2022 offseason roster.
8 • Kenny Pickett, rookie quarterback, Pitt
6-foot-3, 220 pounds, 23 years old
Acquired: Drafted by the Steelers with the No. 20 pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the first quarterback taken in his class and the first time the Steelers drafted a quarterback in the first round since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Pickett was the first Pitt player selected by the Steelers in the first round since tackle Tom Ricketts in 1989.
Last season: Returned to Pitt for his senior season after toying with entering the 2021 NFL Draft and had a monster season, throwing for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
He set Pitt records for passing yards, completions, passing touchdowns, total offense, total touchdowns, 300-yard passing games and quarterback rushing touchdowns.
Pickett was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, Manning Award and Maxwell Award and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation’s top senior quarterback. Pickett was selected as a first-team All-American by the AFCA and the Walter Camp Foundation and was the ACC overall and offensive player of the year.
With Pickett at the helm, Pitt had its best season in decades, winning 11 games and the school’s first ACC title.
College: Pickett played in four games as a freshman in 2017 before becoming Pitt’s full-time starter in 2018, but a run-heavy offense prevented him from breaking out despite a strong team performance that led to a Coastal Division title.
In 2019, Pickett threw for 3,089 yards and 13 touchdowns, and he nearly equaled those numbers in 2020 despite missing games with an ankle injury. In total, Pickett threw for 12,303 yards and 81 touchdowns with Pitt.
Camp outlook: Pickett is embroiled in the team’s three-way battle to replace Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers’ starting quarterback.
Through OTAs and minicamp, Pickett was third in the pecking order behind Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, but that could change as he gets more comfortable in the offense going forward. With three preseason games and three contenders, it would not be a surprise if each one gets a preseason start.
Future: Pickett has not yet signed his rookie deal with the Steelers, but it will be a four-year contract with a fifth-year team option for the 2026 season.
The rest of the 90:
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