Steelers' Kenny Pickett Noted That His Most Brutal Hit Came During His First NFL Action

When the Pittsburgh Steelers took quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, fans did not know what to think. Some people wanted the shiftier and what looked to be a higher upside quarterback of Malik Willis instead. Others thought he would end up like another Tommy Maddox or Bubby Brister for the Steelers. There were even people who thought he would be no better than the team's current backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky. But in his first season, Pickett showed that he has all the potential in the world and could easily be the future for Pittsburgh.

Steelers Young Quarterback Doesn't Seem To Be Worried

Although Pickett played surprisingly well in 2022, he did give fans a few scares. Most notably were the two concussions that he suffered during the season. For a quarterback of any age to suffer head trauma should worry you, but when he is a rookie who you believe to be the future of the organization, then it makes you worry even more.

However, the Steelers young quarterback doesn't seem to be worried about the situation. He recently was on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast where he was asked about who gave him the biggest hit of his career. Pickett answered with none of the hits that gave him a concussion, rather one from Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

What stands out about this hit is that it came in his first NFL appearance after the Steelers benched Trubisky. He came during half-time and tried to bring home a win, but would end up losing. Although they lost, the game give Pickett a new memory of what he considers his biggest career hit.

"Against the Jets, I came in and I think they ran a stunt or something and [Williams] came and got me right under the chin. I got up laughing and I was like I have never been hit that hard in my life."

Watching him take a huge hit like that, all while completing the pass, showed the leadership that the Steelers went for when they drafted him. Although, during the interview, one of the things to point out is the fact that Pickett stated that he's had concussions what seemed like before his first NFL game. Seeing him take a huge hit like that could lead to serious injury. This makes you question whether him taking that hit was leadership of foolishness.

"I've had concussions where I got hit off the ground, my head has hit the ground. That's not anyone hitting me, more of just the whiplash to the ground. Just full-on standing in the pocket though, that is a big dude coming at you full speed."

One of the people considered with Pickett's head trauma is General Manager Omar Khan. During an interview with Pro Football Talk (PFT) during the NFL Combine, he spoke up about the issue. One of the things that Khan noted that he did to help himself for the future is change his helmet. Another thing that Khan said is that he could look to take fewer hits. This could open up a playstyle that we saw with Ben Roethlisberger toward the end of his career when his goal was to get the ball out as fast as possible. No matter what happens, Pickett should not be taking huge hits like he did from Williams in 2023.

“It’s obviously a concern,” Khan told PFT. “You take every precaution, every step to try to prevent or minimize them. … Kenny switched his helmet during the season at a recommendation from our medical staff. I’m sure there’s some things that’ll be discussed with the coaching staff in terms of what he could do maybe to take less hits, let’s say. But, yeah, it is concerning."

So, what do you think, Steeler Nation? Will we see Pickett take less of these monster blows in 2023? Let me know in the comments below!

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