Steelers GM has no buyer’s remorse on Kenny Pickett

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett last year, and general manager Omar Khan believes they have their quarterback of the future.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had the unenviable task of replacing a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, who retired after the 2021 season. They did use a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett. While he did deal with some rookie struggles and injuries, his play at the end of the season caught the attention of the NFL, as it helped keep the Steelers in playoff contention.

Now, the Steelers are looking to continue to bolster their roster to make a push to the playoffs. For fans who were curious if Pickett would be the quarterback starting for them next season, look no further than general manager Omar Khan’s comments at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind.

“We feel really good about the quarterback position this year, obviously,” said Khan, h/t The Athletic (subscription required). “We’re excited about Kenny…We have our quarterback. It was pretty cool to see.”

Steelers: GM Omar Khan says Kenny Picket is ‘our quarterback’

Last offseason, the Steelers signed free agent quarterback and former Chicago Bears starter Mitch Trubisky. But a month later, they used their first-round pick on Pickett, who was the lone quarterback selected in the first round. Trubisky started off the year as the QB1, before ultimately getting benched for Pickett in Week 4. From there, Pickett became the de facto starter. Pickett only missed Week 15 due to a concussion suffered the week prior against the Baltimore Ravens. That was his second concussion suffered that season.

But at the tail end of the season, Pickett had game-winning drives in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders and in Week 17 against the Ravens. That helped keep Pittsburgh’s once slim playoff hopes alive.

On the year, Pickett threw for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 63.0-percent of his passes.

This offseason, Pickett will be the QB1 on the roster heading into training camp. From there, he will get a chance to work with the starting offense and get ready for the 17-game season ahead of them. From there, we will see if Pickett can build off of his strong finish to his rookie season. The Steelers seem confident that he will be able to do so.