The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to deal with something in 2022 that hasn't been a focus in training camp for nearly two decades. The question mark that surrounds the quarterback position following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement is a hot topic and the battle will be watched by NFL fans everywhere in the coming months.
Prior to April's NFL Draft, it was thought that Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph would be competing for the starting job, but then the Steelers selected Kenny Pickett.
While many seem to think he won't start Week 1 and it's weird that he wears gloves on both hands, ESPN college football analyst and free agent quarterback, Robert Griffin III had high praise for the rookie on SiriusXM's Chalk Talk on Saturday afternoon.
Griffin III has spent time with Pickett and was asked what advice he has given to the quarterback as he enters a competition that's outcome could affect the early portion of his career with the Steelers.
"For Kenny, the main thing is, you're not Ben Roethlisberger. You don't have to be Big Ben," said Griffin III.
He wasn't shy in commenting that any of the three quarterbacks vying for the starting job are a better option than the team had in 2021.
"I do believe that Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and even Mason Rudolph at this point would give the Steelers more than Big Ben did last year. I do firmly believe that. Ben is a great player and Hall of Famer, no disrespect to him at all. But I do think those guys will give the quarterback position a little more athleticism."
After touching on Roethlisberger's lack of mobility and arm strength, Griffin III turned back to Pickett and cited his awareness of the atmosphere that he was drafted into back in April.
"For Kenny, he is in a place where he is very familiar. He just changed the door he was walking into there in Pittsburgh."
KARL ROSER / STEELERS
The former Baltimore Ravens quarterback said his time with Pickett left him incredibly impressed.
"When I went down and worked with him before the draft, I just came away with, not how hard this guy works, but how long he has been doing it," said Griffin III. "I wasn't working out as hard as Kenny Pickett has been working out the last six years because I didn't have that specialized training."
The intense nature of Pickett's workouts when he came to visit him in New Jersey are what stood out the most.
"Most guys would have thrown up. I would have loved to see Dan Orlovsky or Mel Kiper or any of those guys go do those workouts, but they wouldn't have walked out alive probably," joked Griffin III.
What will bring an immense amount of comfort to Steelers fans is Griffin III's compliments about Pickett's accuracy and awareness.
"When we went down to the field, I was amazed. This guy can make every single throw. His processing ability is, I believe, the highest of all the guys who were in his draft class and now the Steelers have put so many weapons around him."
Griffin III believes that the organization has done an awesome job at equipping the rookie quarterback with dangerous playmakers for years to come.
"The Steelers have done an amazing job at putting talent around Kenny Pickett."
RGIII Says Steelers Approach With Pickett Is Same As It Was To Roethlisberger
"Roethlisberger did not start as a rookie. He sat behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. It just so happened that those guys got injured and Big Ben went in and did his thing and the rest was history. I think the Steelers are trying to set up Pickett the same way. Maybe he wins the job, maybe he doesn't early on, but then gets to come in and be the hero."
Ben Roethlisberger (right) replaced Tommy Maddox as the Steelers starting quarterback after Maddox suffered an elbow injury two games into the 2004 season. (George Bridges / Getty Images)
His praise for the Steelers organization continued.
"We all know this. There's one thing the Steelers are going to do. They are going to compete. They got a young guy in Pickett who is way more athletic than people give him credit for. I look at him like a bit of a young Ben Roethlisberger."
What do you make of Griffin III's comments about rookie Kenny Pickett? Let us know in the comments below!
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