Kenny Pickett opts out of Peach Bowl, ends Pitt career

Kenny Pickett, Pitt’s record-breaking starting quarterback, has opted out of the Panthers’ upcoming Peach Bowl contest against the No. 11 Michigan State Spartans to prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Pickett announced that he would opt-out of the Peach Bowl on Twitter Thursday, just days after the former three-star recruit was in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. P

A Heisman finalist, Pickett was Pitt’s first finalist since Larry Fitzgerald in 2003, and he finished third in Heisman Trophy voting, behind only Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.

“To the University of Pittsburgh, thank you for all that you have given me over the past five years,” Pickett’s farewell post read, in part. “Coach Narduzzi, thank you for being by my side throughout my entire career and teaching me life lessons every step of the way. One of the biggest moments of my football career was standing on stage with you, the team and our ACC Championship trophy. I will never forget our victory and everything it took to get us there. Coach Whipple, I’m so proud to have learned from you. Together, we accomplished all of our goals and I wish you nothing but the best in the future. To my teammates, the memories we have made will last a lifetime.”

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior helped Pitt orchestrate a complete turnaround from years past and achieve its first 11-win season since 1981, when the Panthers won the Sugar Bowl thanks in large part to Dan Marino. Pickett led Pitt to an 11-2 record, including an ACC Championship victory, the program’s first, over Wake Forest. In that 45-21 win over the Demon Deacons, Pickett completed 20 of his 33 passing attempts for 253 passing yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 20 yards and another touchdown.

“I am thankful for all of the friendships I’ve made and I look forward to keeping those bonds as we move on to the next chapter fo our lives. To the fans, thank you for all of your support throughout my career. I am incredibly proud to say that I was part of the team that brought back another trophy to the City of Champions,” Pickett wrote. “With love and gratitude, I have decided to forgo the Peach Bowl and begin training for the 2022 NFL Draft.”

Pickett in 2021 completed 67 percent of his passes for 4,319 passing yards, 42 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. All the while, he has rushed for 241 yards and five touchdowns. Pickett set a single-season Pitt record in passing yardage, passing touchdowns and total touchdowns, while setting an ACC season record for touchdown passes, eclipsing the previous record of 41 set by Deshaun Watson.

Pickett won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the nation’s most outstanding upperclassman quarterback, in addition to his inclusion in the Heisman Trophy ceremony and most every All-American team. He projects as a first-round NFL Draft pick in most mock drafts.