Kenny Pickett sounds absolutely thrilled to be away from the Steelers drama

Kenny Pickett's tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended in disastrous fashion, with his name dragged through the mud following the team's acquisition of Russell Wilson. Pickett reportedly thought he deserved the first chance at QB1, but Mike Tomlin previously made that promise to Wilson, who is a former Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Pickett was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he will back up Jalen Hurts. The south New Jersey native grew up an Eagles fan, so a change of scenery could be a blessing in disguise for Pickett. So far, Pickett has impressed in OTAs.

“I couldn't ask for a better room, better staff to be working with. Obviously the talent around this team is pretty special, so it's a great group to be in," Pickett said, per NBC Philly producer Rob Kuestner.

Kenny Pickett is grateful to play for the Eagles, not the Steelers

That's a far cry from how Pickett felt in Pittsburgh. With the Steelers, Pickett was under the spotlight from Day 1. Because he went to Pitt, Pickett had to deal with the wrath of a fanbase used to Hall-of-Fame caliber QB play.

It doesn't help that half the Steelers fanbase roots for Penn State or West Virginia at the collegiate level, if not more. The kid never stood a chance, and his questionable performance only made matters worse. ESPN's Brooke Pryor report that the pressure finally got to Pickett when Wilson was made QB1, even on an unofficial basis.

"Pickett expressed that he would rather play elsewhere and make a fresh start than compete from second place in Pittsburgh. On March 11, the day legal tampering opened in the NFL, and less than 24 hours after Wilson's announcement, rumblings of Pickett's anger began reverberating around the league...Four days later, the Steelers introduced Wilson in a noon news conference and then traded Pickett to the Eagles that same afternoon in a deal that included a picks swap," Pryor reported.

That trade, even if it made Pickett an immediate backup in Philly, provided him the fresh start he so desperately desired. The Steelers quickly pivoted and added Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears, a former first-round pick in his own right, to replace Pickett.

The Steelers failed to develop Pickett, and surrounded him with a mediocre offensive coaching staff headlined by Matt Canada. In Philly, he'll have far better coaching minds at the helm to help him unlock his potential.