Report sheds light on Steelers' decision to trade QB Kenny Pickett

The Kenny Pickett era in Pittsburgh is over.

The Steelers are trading Pickett and pick No. 120 in the 2024 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for pick No. 98 and two 2025 seventh-round picks, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Friday.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers made the decision to move on from Pickett due to his poor handling of the arrival of Russell Wilson.

“That came on the heels of Pickett’s behavior last season when he refused to dress as the emergency third quarterback in Seattle in Week 17,” Dulac added.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated added that Pickett initially communicated to the Steelers he was fine competing with Wilson for the starting job but went the other way when the team signed Wilson in free agency earlier this week.

Pickett, 25, lasted just two seasons in Pittsburgh. The Steelers went 14-10 in his starts, though the offense was mired in inconsistency. Pickett threw for 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions on 62.6% passing. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada ultimately paid the price, fired 11 weeks into the 2023 season.

By moving on from Canada and Pickett and bringing in Wilson and new offensive coordinator Athur Smith, it’s a full regime change on offense for the Steelers. Wilson, the Super Bowl champion whom the Denver Broncos released after two seasons with the team, signed for just $1.2 million for the 2024 season. Denver will pay the remaining $37.8 million of Wilson’s contract after cutting him this past week.

Steelers heading in new direction with Russell Wilson under center, move on from Kenny Pickett

Wilson, 35, led the Broncos to a 7-8 record as starter this past season while throwing for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Now he is set to join a Steelers team which started three different quarterbacks in 2023 yet still managed to finish 9-8 and make the playoffs.

“Super grateful to be here, obviously to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Wilson said Friday during his introductory press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “It’s a great tradition. To be able to compete and be able to go to work with these guys every single day is the gift of this game. Enjoying the process of it all. 

“The reason I wanted to come here is because I wanted to win championships with Coach [Mike] Tomlin and the guys in the locker room. We got some amazing players, guys like Cam Heyward, a guy who has been [Walter Payton] Man of the Year, a guy who has impacted so many. Got to talk to him for a little while during this process.  And then obviously Mr. T.J. Watt himself. Really should be defensive player, I don’t know how many times, maybe third, fourth time could have won it. Just tremendous athlete, player, competitor. 

“Guys like Minkah [Fitzpatrick], George Pickens, and just so many other great players along the way. Got to see some guys like [Pat] Freiermuth and [Isaac] Seumalo in there. Great place to be. Grateful for the opportunity to be able to get after it and do what we came here to do, and that’s to win football games.”