Mike Tomlin sets expectations for Kenny Pickett's second season

The Pittsburgh Steelers were a team in transition in 2022, following the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. In stepped Kenny Pickett, hoping to make it a smooth switch over as a rookie quarterback. Now going into his second season, the expectation is Pickett’s development really hits overdrive.

That’s what Steelers fans are ready to see from the first-round pick.

“We’ve got to maintain possession of the ball,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’ve got to maintain a scoring pace. We’ve got to be well-balanced. We’ve got to utilize our eligibles and their talents. We’ve got to protect our quarterback. There’s a lot of layers to that discussion, but that’s why we’re here.”

Pickett threw for 2,404 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions on 63.0% passing. He added 237 yards and three scores on the ground.

And while he didn’t have a single multi-touchdown game passing the football, he did orchestrate a handful of fourth-quarter comebacks. In total, Pickett led four game-winning drives and three fourth-quarter comebacks.

He explained what he hopes to get out of his second season recently.

“I just want to master our system,” Pickett said, via Steelers Depot. “You know, I go into a second year, I feel like this spring I took really command of our offense and what we’re doing and being heavily involved in what coach [Matt] Canada and coach Tomlin on what I like [and] what I don’t like to kind of tailor our offense to what I do best [and] what our guys around me do best, and what we want to do from a schematic standpoint. I really want to master our system and run the show. So that’s what I’m working towards.”

With the right development, Pickett could easily turn into one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He’s got the talent.

Pickett said this offseason that he really started to find a comfort level in the final four games of the season last year, so if he can pick up his second season where he left off the Steelers should be in great shape.

“As far as Kenny goes specifically, man, this is the second lap around the track for him, like it is all our second-year players,” Tomlin said. “So I think it’s reasonable for them to proceed with that knowing and that knowing to be displayed in their production and the consistency of their play. He’s no different than any other second-year player in that regard, it’s just that he’s our quarterback.”