Kenny Pickett: It's Instantly "Different" To Be The Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected who they hope is the quarterback of their future in the 2021 NFL Draft, Kenny Pickett. Pickett might be new to the Steelers, but he is not new to the city of Pittsburgh. He was under center at the University of Pittsburgh for five years prior to the pros. 

When Pickett's rookie season began in 2022, the Steelers originally planned to allow him to develop behind veteran Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky and Pickett were both new to the team, but Trubisky had several seasons of experience in the NFL, both as a starter and a backup. While Pickett is the heir apparent to future Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisberger, they were clearly trying to avoid throwing him to the wolves. That plan went by the wayside when Trubisky was benched Week 4 in favor of the then-rookie Pickett. 

This meant that Pickett had to adjust quickly to life in the NFL. It is no secret that the NFL is much more difficult than the pros, Pickett has spoken before about how much faster the NFL game moves. Despite the fact that Pickett won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was named the ACC Athlete of the Year while at Pitt, he knew it would be different when he arrived to play for the Steelers. He wouldn't be the "big man on campus" anymore. 

Kenny Pickett Went From Being Top Dog To Part Of The Pack With The Steelers

Recently Pickett appeared on the Green Light Podcast, which is hosted by former NFL defensive end, Chris Long. Long has a lifetime of experience in the NFL since his father is Hall Of Fame defensive end, Howie Long. During his 11 seasons, he played primarily for the then-St. Louis Rams who drafted him second overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He left St. Louis and played for the New England Patriots for a single season in 2016 and then with the Philadelphia Eagles for two seasons before retiring. He is one of only a handful of players to win back-to-back Super Bowls with different teams.

Long had Pickett join him to discuss all things Steelers, including the transition and transformation from college to the pros. He was curious about what it was like for Pickett to go from being the top dog in college, to just being a part of the pack in the pros. 

Steelers' Kenny Pickett On Not Being The Alpha Anymore

Long asked Pickett that despite the fact that he played football in the same stadium, in the same city as when he was a student-athlete, were there notable differences in the fans and did that surprise him?

"Yeah, I think being in the city for five years and seeing how people love the Steelers, it's definitely a different level - it's noticeably different on game day, just noticeably different being the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm incredibly grateful to be here, especially after witnessing it for five years."

Long notes that Pickett took over for Roethlisberger who had been the quarterback for 18 seasons. That puts a lot of pressure on Pickett. Long said that when he watched Pickett and the Steelers last year, he felt like they are a team who is ready to win. He said it's like the whole team has to learn to win again. 

He notes that Pickett was a major contributor to some of the wins the Steelers had last season and the success they began to find post-bye week. Long credits Pickett with helping to engineer multiple fourth-quarter winning drives, which takes a lot of maturity. 

Long goes on to say that when Pickett played at Pitt, he was the "alpha" and that everyone would look to him to see how he would lead the team. He wonders how it is different coming into the pros when you are now faced with a bunch of "alphas" and you have to gain their trust. He asked Pickett if there was a moment where he felt like he had gained their trust. 

"I don't know if there was a moment or you just kind of feel over time. It sways to where those last four games of the season, it felt like to me, I was kind of running the offense. I was on my way to where I wanted to be. Then having those fourth quarter wins, those come-from-behind wins, those are big moments that kind of validate all the hard work and everything that we were putting into it trying to get back in that playoff chase. I think over those four games is where I started to feel like it was becoming my offense and that I was running the show." 

While Pickett is definitely fortunate enough to be surrounded by a bunch of other "alphas," by all accounts he has done enough to earn the respect of his teammates. Numerous members of the team have come forward to say they believe in him and see him as the future of the team. 

Going from college to the NFL might be an intimidating process. Players have to prove themselves all over again, but Pickett has made it look easy. He puts his head down and just does the hard work he needs to do, taking the time to pick the brains of his teammates and working with them to develop a rapport. It looks like 2023 will bring an even more improved Pickett. 

What do you think about that "alpha" transition from college to the pros? How different do you think it really is? Click to comment below. 

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