Mike Tomlin says Kenny Pickett's late-game heroics went into Steelers' decision to draft him

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) head coach Mike Tomlin was hardly surprised when he saw quarterback Kenny Pickett pull out some late-game heroics to lead the team to a 24-17 victory over the Los Angeles Rams (3-4) in Week 7 this past Sunday.

As Tomlin said Tuesday, Pickett’s clutch gene is something that stood out to him while he was at Pitt, and a major reason why the Steelers selected him in the first-round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

“His ability to rise up in moments, we valued that in the draft process,” Tomlin said, via the team’s website. “That was one of the things that made him attractive to us. I’ve watched him do it when he was a Pitt Panther. And so I don’t know that any of us are surprised by his ability to make the plays that he makes when it really gets thick.

“I just think some people are built like that. Some people relish the opportunity. Some people really smile in the face of adversity… are competition junkies and I think he’s all of those things. But that’s not something that we’re just discovering. As I mentioned, it’s something that we knew.”

Kenny Pickett channels inner Ben Roethlisberger in win over Rams

Pickett put on his cape in the second half with the Steelers facing a 17-10 deficit. The 25-year-old completed his final nine passes to help Pittsburgh complete the comeback — reminiscent of the days when Ben Roethlisberger donned the black and gold. Over the course of his 18-year career, Roethlisberger led 41 fourth quarter comebacks, third-most in NFL history. Pickett has a long way to go to catch Roethlisberger, though he does have five fourth quarter comebacks in his 18 starts.

By the time the game has ended, Pickett had put up arguably his best performance of the season. Pickett, statistically one of the most underperforming quarterbacks in the league entering Week 7, threw for 230 yards on 17-of-25 passes to go along with a touchdown run. The Steelers’ 24 points are the second-most they’ve scored in a game this season.

For just the second time this season, Pittsburgh had both Diontae Johnson and George Pickens on the field together. The former was sidelined with a hamstring injury since Week 1. In his return, Johnson hauled in five receptions for 79 yards. Pickens led the team with 107 yards on five catches, his third 100-yard game of the season.

“It was great to have him back,” Pickett said of Johnson. “I think you saw the effect he can have with both George and him out the outside. They’re two tough guys to cover.”