Ben Roethlisberger’s relationship with Kenny Pickett is already getting weird
By Josh Hill
Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett has a good relationship with future Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh legend Ben Roethlisberger — or so we thought.
On the surface, this is likely nothing.
Roethlisberger made a stop-over at Steelers training camp on Wednesday. He spoke with Mike Tomlin, threw some passes to Diontae Johnson and more. Johnson even stated that he thinks Big Ben ‘still has it’, which…we’ll agree to disagree there.
The one thing Roethlisberger seemingly didn’t do was talk to Pickett, his like heir-apparent when the smoke clears. Why would Big Ben suddenly be a little standoff-ish with the Pitt product?
Kenny Pickett said he was hoping to talk to Ben Roethlisberger after practice, but he didn't see him when he was leaving the field. Pickett said he'll send him a text.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 24, 2022
Pickett: "It was great to see him come back around. I hope he's around again."
Steelers: Is Ben Roethlisberger jealous of Kenny Pickett?
Roethlisberger had Pickett over for dinner shortly after he was drafted, so let’s not make something out of nothing.
“He said he’s always there for me if I have any questions or advice,” Pickett said at the time. “I mean, he’s an unbelievable player, a Hall of Famer, so he’s a guy that I will definitely use as a resource in these coming weeks here.”
However, Ben does have a history of petty behavior towards his competition.
When Mason Rudolph was drafted in 2018, Roethlisberger publicly questioned the selection on his radio show. He barely even talked to Rudolph at practice and sure as hell didn’t mentor him. Now, Roethlisberger isn’t on the roster anymore, but could some of that same behavior be bubbling within him?
It’s doubtful. Pickett has access to Roethlisberger as a resource, and has since his college days. Ben will (hopefully) act as a resource for Pickett in his first few professional seasons in Pittsburgh, as he adjusts to a football-savvy media market that bleeds black and gold.
Replacing a legend is never easy, and Pickett has more than the weight of your average Yinzer on his shoulders heading into a busy Year 1.
Next. Diontae Johnson is the only person who thinks Ben Roethlisberger’s ‘still got it’. dark