The Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves in a situation they hadn't experienced in nearly two decades when Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. It was all about who would step into those massive, Super Bowl-winning shoes that Roethlisberger had been successful in for so long. After smokescreens and so-called experts guessing every which way, the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett out of the University of Pittsburgh in 2022. After a rollercoaster of a rookie season, the big question is whether Pickett is ready to take the leap from rookie to elite quarterback in 2023.
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Pittsburgh Steelers retired quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls for the historic franchise
Steelers Win Super Bowls With Great Quarterbacks
The six Super Bowl trophies won by the franchise are the pride and joy of every staff member, coach, player, and fan in Pittsburgh, but the seventh is always on their minds. According to Colin Cowherd on The Herd, the Steelers will go where their quarterback leads. It's in their DNA to win championships when their quarterbacks are at the top of their game, something that Cowherd is wary of when looking at Pickett.
"They’ve done everything right, but they’ve only won Super Bowls since the 70s when they have a great legendary quarterback in his physical prime. Big Ben 2005, 2008, Bradshaw in the 70’s; that’s it! They got to another Super Bowl, got blown out, didn’t have a great quarterback. They’ve gotten to AFC Championships; maybe didn’t have a great quarterback. That’s the only time they win Super Bowls, only time they hoist trophies. Great quarterback in his physical prime. Big Ben was young, but he played for a few years in college, he was moving into, for a quarterback, that physical prime, that 24 to 29 area."
With Pickett right in that sweet spot that Cowherd is talking about, being 25 years old, why doesn't he see Pickett on the same level as Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw? It has to do with the ceiling that everyone is waiting for Pickett to hit, so says Cowherd. The longtime NFL pundit sees promise in the young quarterback, but is that promise enough to lift the Steelers from an impressive second-half run in 2022 to a true Super Bowl contender in 2023 and onward?
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Steelers Dan Rooney smiles as Terry Bradshaw holds up the pen he used to sign his rookie contract in 1970
Steelers Can't Rely On Their Defense In 2023
The Steelers have one of the most expensive defenses in the NFL, with $121.3 million dollars spent on the defensive side of the football. With all that investment, one would think that when the season gets tough, the Steelers could lean on the defense to win games. According to Cowherd, though, that won't be the case no matter the talent that the Steelers bring onto the team. The storied championship teams of the past were led by their great quarterbacks, something Cowherd uses as a comparison for Pickett as 2023 approaches.
"So, the whole thing comes down – it doesn’t matter how great TJ Watt is, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick. They’re all great! It’s been set. Pittsburgh does everything right, it all comes down to Kenny Pickett. I don’t see greatness. I see very good-ness, maybe. I see we can blame the offensive coordinator. I think Kenny Pickett has the chance to be a very good quarterback...Maybe a little more mobile Kirk Cousins, a much more accurate throwing Dak Prescott, somewhere in that mix."
Pickett, at his peak, could become a good quarterback, but not the type that Pittsburgh historically needs to win those Super Bowl championships. The question here is how much weight should be placed on Cowherd's perspective when it comes to Pickett, but more than that, it's about the lack of respect for the Steelers defense. While it is true that Pickett will have a huge impact on the 2023 results in Pittsburgh, don't ever discount what a Steelers' defense can do when things get the most challenging.
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Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is poised for a big leap in 2023
Steelers Counting On Cowherd To Be Wrong In 2023
The Steelers don't mind being the underdogs because it's something that fueled their 2005 run to the Super Bowl as the first sixth seed to ever accomplish the feat. In 2023, though, it's about more than just being an underdog or being a favorite. The Steelers weren't unaware of the amount of attention that their transition from the Roethlisberger era to the time of Pickett got. The way they went about transforming the roster during the 2023 offseason should show that they aren't content with simply not having a losing season; they want more.
Pickett isn't someone who likes losing, either, and that is going to be on full display in 2023. Proving people wrong is something that this Steelers squad is already licking their chops in anticipation for. You can be sure that Cowherd will be watching closely as well because while the usually argumentative host rarely comes out to say he's wrong, this time, he set the table ahead of time. Pickett wasn't who everyone wanted the Steelers to take in 2022, and he spent his rookie year showing just why the Steelers put that faith in him. Proving people wrong isn't anything new for the young quarterback, either.
"I could be wrong. Maybe he is great. I mean, he had moments last year. Lotta starts, the good news is good organization, he’s playing in the pro's same college stadium, very comfortable. Looks like he has a superstar wide receiver. I think Kenny Pickett could be a really nice NFL quarterback. I don’t see great, but I’ve been wrong before."
Armed with a hungry, young, talented offense and a proud, dynamic defense, the 2023 season is one that Pickett is ready to take by storm. The NFL has had a full offseason to learn just what Pickett can do, which means it will be all the sweeter when the Steelers use 2023 as their springboard to another long stretch of success. At least, that is what will happen if Cowherd is wrong.
Will Cowherd's take be wrong for the Steelers in 2023?
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