The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was the only first round quarterback picked in what was supposed to be a below-average quarterback draft. Sam Howell has displayed some significant ability for the Washington Commanders, with Eric Bieniemy guiding his performance. Brock Purdy has benefited from working with Kyle Shanahan. Desmond Ridder has been the starter for the Atlanta Falcons for most of the 2023 season.
Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press
Former Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada (left) and second-year quarterback, Kenny Pickett (right).
Four quarterbacks from the 2022 draft are starting in the NFL, and Pickett, by comparison, has underwhelmed. Members of the media and the fan base lost patience with Pickett's offensive coordinator, Matt Canada. The disillusioned fan base took to chanting "Fire Canada" at PTA meetings, and two weeks ago, someone in the Steelers hierarchy obliged them. However, it was too late to salvage Pickett's reputation. A large portion of the fan base had soured on Pickett, and many just wanted to move on.
The Steelers' Notorious History Of Evaluating Quarterbacks
The bad news for the current generation of fans is that the Steelers don't give up on coaches or highly drafted quarterbacks. The franchise is patient to a fault, and a new generation of fans is about to learn a highly frustrating lesson that the Steelers last taught to their fans in the 1980s and 1990s. Pittsburgh historically can't evaluate quarterback talent, and the franchise does not view that as an obstacle to success.
They've selected four quarterbacks in the first round and three in the second round of the NFL Draft during the Super Bowl era. They drafted Terry Bradshaw and Mark Malone in the first round during Chuck Noll's tenure. Noll drafted Terry Hanratty and Mike Kruczek in the second round. Bill Cowher's drafts included Kordell Stewart and Ben Roethlisberger. Mike Tomlin has Pickett. Pittsburgh has only had three head coaches since 1969 and seven quarterbacks in the top two rounds of the NFL Draft; that is not a coincidence.
sportingnews.com
Steelers franchise QB Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger will go down as two of the best to ever play the game of football.
Only one of the seven quarterbacks had instant and then consistent success as a franchise quarterback in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger gave the Steelers 18 years of excellence at the quarterback position and two Super Bowl championships in three appearances. Multiple trips to the bench marked Bradshaw's first five seasons in Pittsburgh before he settled into the starting lineup for good during the run to the first Super Bowl victory in franchise history in Super Bowl IX.
Hanratty, who arrived before Bradshaw, got 17 opportunities to start games for the Steelers and went 6-11 with a 38.3% completion rate. Kruczek spent four seasons as Bradshaw's backup and put together a 6-0 record for the 1976 Steelers. He attempted 85 passes for 0 touchdowns in those six games. The best defense in NFL history carried him to an undefeated record. He left the Steelers to join the Washington franchise and played one season. He was out of football after five seasons total.
USA Today Sports
Steelers quarterback Mark Malone started highest scoring AFC Championship game, a 45-28 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Malone did not have Roethlisberger or Bradshaw's success, but he led the team to Noll's final AFC Championship appearance after the 1984 season. After Bradshaw retired, Malone spent seven years in Pittsburgh and was in and out of the lineup as the starter from 1984 to 1988. Malone started 53 games and went 23-30 as a starter. He posted one win and one loss in the playoffs, including a huge upset of the Denver Broncos and the losing end of the highest-scoring AFC Championship game in history.
Cowher's first highly drafted quarterback was Stewart. The former Colorado quarterback burst onto the scene as "Slash" for the 1995 Steelers, who ended up in Super Bowl XXX. Pittsburgh drafted Stewart as a quarterback, but he spent more time at receiver in his first two seasons. They turned the position over to him in his third season and strapped in for a roller coaster ride.
USATSI
Steelers' Kordell Stewart evades a Jaguars defender during the 13-3 2001 season.
Stewart's tenure included two runs to the AFC Championship game and multiple trips to the bench in favor of Mike Tomczak, Kent Graham, and finally, Tommy Maddox. Stewart started 87 games over seven seasons with a 48-34 record. Despite recent revisionist history, he was wildly inaccurate as a passer.
Tomlin has spent most of his career with the specter of Roethlisberger hanging over him. After the future Hall of Fame quarterback retired, Tomlin got his chance to pick his quarterback. The Steelers' Head Coach likes to promote from within, and in a sense, selecting Pickett from the Pitt Panthers, who shared a building during his college career with Tomlin, is arguably another example of the same phenomenon.
Gene Puskar / AP
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett had a great finish to his 2022 rookie season, but it's been struggles since.
Ultimately, Pickett might not be the guy for the Steelers, but he will get plenty more chances to fail before the Steelers move on from him. He will likely get at least one more opportunity as the starter with a new offensive coordinator. Names like Kirk Cousins were floated by Doug Whaley on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday, and Kyler Murray is a pipe dream.
Pickett is 14 and 10 over 24 career starts. He has only thrown 13 touchdowns in those games with a 78.8 passer rating. He plays a highly conservative brand of football that has led to a Pittsburgh-record number of passes without an interception. Pickett does not take many chances, and the Steelers don't score many points. Fans blamed Canada and are probably correct, but Tomlin's fingerprints are all over the poor offensive output.
steelers.com
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett and Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
Modern fans of the black and gold will have to accept the good with the bad. The Steelers have had seven losing seasons since the Immaculate Reception in 1972. Bradshaw and Roethlisberger accounted for 30 of those seasons. The Steelers have had 14 winning seasons in 21 tries with other quarterbacks, including a Super Bowl appearance. Modern fans will not like it and demand change. History says they won't get it.
In 2023, fans want instant success. It is a fact of life in the 21st century. They will take to social media to demand immediate change and a higher-scoring offense. Ownership would attempt to give them what they want in most NFL cities, but that is not Pittsburgh. History doesn't repeat, it rhymes, and a mediocre quarterback under center is an all too familiar tune for the franchise.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you think the Steelers will line up in 2024 with Pickett under center? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
#SteelerNation
