Steelers QB1 Kenny Pickett Was Limited In Practice Thursday; Changes To A 'Smart' Helmet Equipped With A Visor

Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback, Kenny Pickett has been recovering from a concussion this week. Pickett was concussed near the end of the first quarter of the game in Pittsburgh against the Baltimore Ravens last week. Now the team is again embroiled in a quarterback controversy as everyone awaits to see if Pickett can play this weekend. Pickett did practice a bit Wednesday and Thursday, but he has still not been completely cleared. This could mean that he is not improving as quickly as he did with his last concussion. That leaves Steelers fans pondering who will be under center come this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

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Pickett was able to slip out of one tackle last week, but was quickly slammed to the ground by Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, who appeared to grab Pickett by the facemask. Pickett was evaluated immediately and returned to the game on the next possession. The offense went 3 and out. Apparently, then Pickett displayed some symptoms and was pulled for the rest of the game.

A Helmet Change?

Pickett practiced on Thursday with a new Riddell Axiom helmet. According to Riddell's website the helmet offers 'InSite Smart helmet technology, an innovative impact sensing and reporting system that collects and transmits head impact data from the field in real-time.' We will see if Pickett makes the switch permanently or if he's just trying it out.

Steelers' Pickett in Pads Thursday

Brooke Pryor reported that Pickett was in pads and practicing with the team this week. It appears he is doing the same thing today. This is good news about his progress. However, the reports that he has not completely cleared concussion protocols may mean this concussion is taking longer to recover from than the last.

Pickett suffered a concussion earlier this season, Week 6, and left early in the second half while playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mitch Trubisky came in and was able to drive the offense down the field and win the game. Pickett was able to quickly move through the concussion protocols and return for Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins.

NFL is Being Cautious

The NFL has been improving its concussion protocols over the past several years. However, they came under fire after the Miami Dolphins quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa seemed to return too quickly after sustaining a head injury earlier this season.

Players have to go through several steps and evaluations before being cleared to return to play. The players initially have to rest and then they gradually add increasing activity while being monitored. The final stage is working out as a full participant, in pads, as Pickett has done the past two days. As players travel through each phase they are evaluated by the club physician and an independent neurologist. There is no set timeline for return as each player heals at their own rate.

The Steelers weren't so lucky with the most recent concussion, Trubisky didn't save the day. Instead, he came in and drove down the field and threw interception after interception in the loss to the Ravens.

That leaves the Steelers coaching staff with a difficult decision if Pickett doesn't play. Do they start Trubisky or go with Pittsburgh's perennial backup, Mason Rudolph?

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett (#8) makes a pass in Wednesday's practice in preparation for the Baltimore Ravens in Pittsburgh, PA at Acrisure Stadium. | Credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers

Uncertain Future for Pickett

Two concussions in such a short period of time are concerning. If Pickett is going to be the future franchise quarterback of the team, then the offense has to find a way to protect him. They cannot allow him to take unnecessary risks. He has only started 9 NFL games (no concussion history in college) and was unable to finish two of them due to concussions.

Hopefully, these injuries were just a couple of pieces of bad luck, rather than an indication of things to come.