Former Steelers QB calls leaving Pittsburgh a blessing in disguise, and he's right

Don't worry, Steelers fans, this isn't another Kenny Pickett hit piece, though there have been plenty of those this offseason already. Rather, Steelers-turned-Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun made some revealing remarks about leaving Pittsburgh for Kansas City.

Oladokun gave Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin credit for being transparent with him. While he may not have understood the move at the time, Oladokun eventually latched on with the Kansas City Chiefs and won a Super Bowl ring in a supporting role. None of that would've happened in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers (at the time) featured three quarterbacks above Oladokun on the depth chart in Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky.

"Coach Tomlin was very transparent with me," Oladokun said on the Stuck On My Thoughts podcast. "When I got cut, giving me an opportunity to even cut me earlier than the last cut of the last preseason game. Just so I could find another opportunity. That was a blessing in disguise. I'll always respect and love Coach Tomlin for that. Because he really did look out for me in terms of that."

Chris Oladokun has fresh perspective on leaving Steelers for Chiefs

The way Oladokun sees it, Tomlin provided him with an opportunity, rather than taking it away from him. The young quarterback has spent much of his pro career in the Steelers and Chiefs organizations, including multiple stints. Now back with KC, Oladokun is the third-string quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz. He has a firm grasp of Andy Reid's system, and is trusted to lead the scout team.

Just last postseason, Oladokun played the role on Lamar Jackson in practice prior to the Chiefs AFC Championship win over the Baltimore Ravens. Kansas City credited the former UDFA for his hard work in emulating Jackson.

“I will say. He did it last week for us. He was Josh Allen. . . . Even in practice, because you’re not tackling anybody, see, not finishing on a guy. But there are some things that we have talked about in how we should practice to prepare for him. And I think Chris gives us as good a look as we’re gonna get during the course of a practice week," defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said.

Whether it be big or small, Oladokun's role in preparing the Chiefs for their AFC playoff opponents is valued by the organization. In Pittsburgh, that was not the case, and Tomlin provided Oladokun with the chance to get a leg up on controlling his own destiny.