Steelers’ Tomlin Cites Lack of Reps for Scratching Kenny Pickett

SEATTLE — Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin continues to provide few details about how quarterback Kenny Pickett is progressing from the surgery to repair his right high ankle sprain and whether or not he will return to the lineup when healthy.

Pickett was made inactive for the second consecutive game on Sunday, as the Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks, 30-23.

Pickett was limited in practice all three days this week, and Tomlin gave that as a reason for Pickett to be inactive in favor of Mitch Trubisky, who once again was the only quarterback dressed behind Rudolph on Sunday.

“Just in the early portions of the week, we didn’t know what [Pickett’s] availability might be,” Tomlin said. “We allocated reps accordingly. And so we’ll see what next week holds.”

Tomlin did not answer whether Pickett was able to or had been cleared to play against the Seahawks. 

The team gained nothing by holding him out of the lineup. Clubs can dress a third, emergency quarterback to give them 49 active players, but cannot use that slot for any other position, so have played the last two games with 48.

It seems almost assured that now five four weeks removed from his surgery, Pickett will be healthy enough to play this coming week, so Tomlin will need to make a decision about how to address the situation between his first-round draft pick and the player that has led the team to wins in two consecutive must-win games.

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Pickett said last week that he felt he was close to being able to play, and though he could suit up against the Seahawks.

“I feel like I could [play this week],” he said. “I always try to push myself. It’s the trainers. It’s the coaches. It’s what they see me moving and how they want to go about it.”