The Cleveland Browns remain the NFL’s preeminent Murphy’s Law team. Anything that can go wrong at quarterback typically does. Dispatches from Browns' camp sounds like the beginning of toilet humor, when their quarterback situation is involved. Kenny Pickett has been circling the drain since he was drafted 20th overall in arguably the weakest quarterback draft in recent memory.
Pickett has rarely spoken about his two years in Pittsburgh, but during recent comments, appeared to take a subtle jab at the Steelers through a heap of direct praise of the Philadelphia Eagles. "I'm extremely grateful for my time in Philly," Pickett said. "I think I was just shown how it was supposed to be done, really from the top down. When you get a chance to see what it's supposed to look like, and how it should look on a day-to-day basis, not just on Sundays. I think it'll pay dividends for me in the future."
Kenny Pickett's subtle jabs at the Steelers
Pickett’s statement is a bit of a Rorschach Test. Although he has never directly criticized the Steelers for their part in a swift divorce, he clearly harbors a grudge. Despite going 12-3 as the starter, he was benched for Mason Rudolph and never regained his starting job. In 15 games, Pickett was a stranger to the red zone throwing 13 touchdowns to 13 interceptions., struggling to command the red zone or push the ball downfield
Pickett’s exit from Pittsburgh came quickly and unceremoniously after the franchise signed veteran Russell Wilson ahead of the 2024 season. Pickett also grew frustrated over his benching due to injury during the second half of the 2023 season and allegedly refused to suit up for a Week 17 contest against the Steelers.
Grass is always greener on the other side of the ole Pickett fence. The irony is that Pickett’s desire to avoid a quarterback competition accelerated his exit from Pittsburgh. While Wilson finished the 2024 season as the starter, Pickett would have started the season and played more snaps in Pittsburgh and bore an opportunity to retain the starting job.
As a result of being in a guaranteed contract as the Steelers first-round pick, Pickett would have had a greater chance of retaining the starting job than Justin Fields, who signed with the New York Jets this offseason.
Meanwhile, he’s not faring much better individually. Pickett saw light action in relief of Jalen Hurts late in the year but spent much of the Super Bowl season as Hurts’ Microsoft tablet security guard. Pickett came to Pittsburgh with intentions of challenging for the starting job, but they’re already withering away.
How Picket is faring in Cleveland
ESPN Cleveland host Aaron Goldhammer has been observing the quarterbacks during OTAs and opined that Pickett has resembled the worst quarterback in the Browns quarterback derby.
Naturally, we shouldn't be surprised that Pickett has fallen behind the 40-year-old floor manager Joe Flacco. However, if he’s being lured by a 5-foot-something record-setter in Dillon Gabriel, and a past, present, future reality TV star in Shedeur Sanders. It’s unfortunate that the quarterback Mike Tomlin inexplicably passed on five times could be the death nail in Pickett’s pursuit of a starting job. Pickett’s impatience put his career in quicksand. It would be a shame if Tomln’s defense doesn’t get a chance to sink him under this season. Unless he can reverse course soon, Pickett risks becoming a footnote in the league and an easy target for Steeler Nation.