Steelers' Kenny Pickett Victim Of Unnecessary Comment Made By Former NFL LB

The Pittsburgh Steelers are now just one of two teams in the AFC North with a healthy starting quarterback situation. Both the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals have lost Deshaun Watson and Joe Burrow for the remainder of the 2023 season due to rather serious injuries. The AFC North once seemed like a complete four-team race, but now, it almost feels inevitable that the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens will be the two teams competing for the crown at the end of December and into January. For Pittsburgh, injuries have piled up, but down the stretch, it will be up to Kenny Pickett to lead a successful offense.

It was widely accepted entering the 2023 campaign that Pickett was the least experienced, and probably worst, quarterback in the division. He has not done himself any favors when it comes to being doubted. He hasn't turned the ball over much, but only has six touchdown passes in nine games and only two contests when he has surpassed 230 yards or more through the air.

During a Thursday Night Football live stream at Barstool Sports, a big group sat down to watch the matchup between the Ravens and Bengals. Steelers super fan, Jersey Jerry, was in attendance and began to get in an argument with Dan "Big Cat" Katz and former NFL linebacker, Will Compton. Jerry proclaimed that Pittsburgh is not a team other franchises want to see in the playoffs. Compton jumped in and immediately threw shade in the direction of Pickett. 

"I'd love to play Pickett in the playoffs," Compton said in an extremely disrespectful tone.

That wasn't the only comment berating the Steelers. Katz also said that, in his opinion, Pittsburgh is a team that other organizations would absolutely want to see in the playoffs. Essentially, he was implying that defeating Pickett and co. in January would be an easy task.  

It's quite the bold statement for Compton to make. The recently-retired linebacker only played in two playoffs games in his nine-year NFL career. One of the games didn't even end with him having a tackle. The playoffs are a time when the most clutch players in the league show up when their teams need them most. If there's one thing Pickett has proven, it's that he does extremely well under pressure.

The jury is still out on Pickett, and that's a fair statement to buy into, but he still has only 21 career starts. He has a great defense on the other side of the ball and doing the bare minimum might not be the worst thing at this point as he continues to figure out the ways of professional football. Would Compton rather play against Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Jake Browning in the playoffs? It's fair to say yes, regardless of what he would say to stand by his point on Thursday evening.

There are many more quarterback situations in the NFL that are worse than what the Steelers have right now. Pittsburgh can afford average play from their signal-caller in 2023 because of a stout, game-changing defense. Pickett has already proven that he has the clutch gene and no one should be surprised if it shows up when January rolls around.

Steelers Playoff Chances Have Significantly Increased

Pittsburgh sits at 6-3 as they enter a two-game stretch that originally looked like two potential losses. But now, after the AFC North injury news, the Steelers are extremely capable of winning enough games throughout the rest of the year to get into the postseason. Whether Compton wants to believe it or not, Pickett could very well have the opportunity to prove him wrong in January.

Do you think Compton's comments were uncalled for? Let us know in the comments below!

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