Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard, Ramon Foster joined The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller Tuesday afternoon on 93.7 The Fan to discuss training camp and the Steelers arrival at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. Foster, who hosts his own podcast, The Ramon Foster Steelers Show, and Andrew Fillipponi turned their attention to the Steelers quarterback room. Fillipponi asked Foster for his opinion on the quarterbacks and what he thinks will happen:
“[Mitch] Trubisky, former number two pick overall and on to his third team. Mason [Rudolph], I can’t understand the hate with people around him,” Foster passionately opined. “Mason is a damn good quarterback that needs a shot. Not just for one or two or three game spells, starting quarterbacks [need to] catch a rhythm.”
Steelers QB Mason Rudolph takes a snap on Day 5 of OTA's. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Mason Rudolph was given the opportunity to start during the 2019 season for the Steelers when Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the year due to an elbow injury. He started eight games for Pittsburgh during an 8-8 campaign going 5-3, but twice losing the job to Devlin “Duck” Hodges. Foster turned his attention to the first round draft pick who is sharing the quarterback room with Mitch Trubisky and Rudolph.
“Kenny Pickett, he is a guy that did well last year at his college season. You got a kid when you look at him, you say, 'This kid is a winner.' He won big at Pitt, he had Pitt relevant as any other time that I’ve seen them. [Even with] their all-world players like Aaron Donald, even with [LeSean] Shady McCoy, even with [Larry] Fitzgerald. He had them as relevant as they’ve been.”
Steelers' Kenny Pickett celebrates his promised ACC Championship win in Charlotte, NC in 2021. (Pamela Smith, Pitt News)
Pickett led the Pitt Panthers to an 11-3 record during the 2021 campaign and secured their first ACC Championship and a bid in the Peach Bowl. The fifth-year senior was in the running for the Heisman Trophy most of the season, but came up short to Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback, Bryce Young, who took home the award. Pickett was rewarded instead as the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft and a chance to play for his adopted hometown.
“It should be a really good competition,” Foster continued. “You’re following a Hall of Fame player. It is your tenure, whoever you are and create it however you need to. Meaning, if you got to hand the ball off more than you actually throw it, don’t try to be Ben. I see it as a tossup between Mason and Mitch, I really don’t want to see Kenny Week 1.”
Foster, who joined the Steelers in 2009, the year after they won their last Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLIII, may be referencing the formula Bill Cowher employed early in Roethlisberger’s career to help him gain confidence and give the team the best chance to win. The former Tennessee Volunteers lineman played with the Steelers legendary signal-caller for his entire 11-year career and is giving sage advice on how to go about replacing an icon.
Fillipponi, who is one of Pickett’s most vocal supporters via his Twitter account @ThePoniExpress, sent out his reaction via a poll regarding Foster’s appearance on where fans would like to see Pickett on the depth chart in 2022:
Would Steelers fans rather have Kenny Pickett start the season as...
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) July 26, 2022
What do you think, Steeler Nation? How do you think this battle is going to go and where do you think Pickett falls on depth chart? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
