Mike Tomlin says Steelers plan to bring in competition for QB Kenny Pickett

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is entering the offseason with Kenny Pickett as his QB1, but it remains to be seen if Pickett will indeed be the starting quarterback for Pittsburgh during the 2024 season.

Tomlin revealed during a press conference on Thursday that Pickett will have competition at quarterback ahead of the 2024 season.

“You know, he will [be QB1], but obviously there will be competition. There’s always competition in this thing. We don’t anoint anyone,” Mike Tomlin said. “Man, I’m appreciative of his efforts and where he is and excited about continuing to work with him, but certainly, he will be challenged from a competition perspective moving forward. Competition brings out the best in all of us.”

One potential quarterback who could provide competition for Pickett is current Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph.

The former third-round pick took over for Pickett late in the season when he was injured and remained the starter after Pickett was cleared. Rudolph led the Steelers to a 3-0 finish to the regular season.

Rudolph and the Steelers came up short in the playoffs against the Bills, but Tomlin was still impressed by the veteran quarterback’s performance late in the year. Rudolph is a free agent this offseason, but he could come back and compete with Pickett for the starting job.

Tomlin added that Rudolph changed the perception of what he can be with his play down the stretch. The former Oklahoma State star completed nearly 75 percent of his passes, averaged 239 passing yards per game and had 3 touchdowns, with no interceptions over the final three games of the regular season.

“I don’t think that any of us can deny what we’ve seen over the last month or so,” Tomlin said. “I cannot underscore how impressive it is to be ready to deliver, and he was. And that preparation showed. Certainly, we’re less speculative about his capabilities, because there’s evidence of it in tough circumstances.”

With that said, Tomlin is also still a big believer in Kenny Pickett. However, he acknowledged that the 2024 season is an important one for his future.

“I’m extremely confident in him. I feel stronger about some of the intangible things than I did when we first started doing business with him, because I have evidence of it,” Tomlin said. “He’s highly competitive and professional. He doesn’t run from challenges, he runs to challenges. He’s got good framework to work with. For a young guy he’s mature beyond his years. I’m excited about him.

“Certainly it’s a big year for him. We met this morning and we acknowledged that. It is a huge year for him. But I’m also excited about just watching him wear that component of it, because I know how he’s wired and built and I’m excited about watching him attack it.”