Steelers QB Kenny Pickett exits game with injury after hard hit vs Jaguars

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) quarterback Kenny Pickett exited the Week 8 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) Sunday after suffering an injury during the second quarter.

Pickett landed hard on his right side after being hit after an incomplete pass. Pickett stayed down for a few moments before walking off the field in pain. The 25-year-old was holding his rib area as he went into the locker room.

Not Good: Steelers QB Kenny Pickett is down on the field.

He appears to be holding his shoulder. pic.twitter.com/T7Z6DEJ9iu

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) October 29, 2023

Mitch Trubisky replaced Pickett for the remainder of the first half. Pickett was evaluated for a rib injury during halftime, per Burt Lauten of the Steelers. Trubisky remains under center to start the second half, as Pickett has been ruled out for the rest of the game.

Pickett was struggling before the injury, completing just 10-of-16 passes for 73 yards. In total, the Steelers mustered up just 100 total yards and went into the half down 9-3. Slow starts have continued to plague the Steelers’ offense, which has scored just seven first quarter points in seven games.

It’s hardly what head coach Mike Tomlin wanted to see after discussing this very topic this week.

“We just need to do routine things routinely at the early stages of games,” Tomlin said.

Kenny Pickett, Steelers slow out of the gate again

When it comes to Pickett, his season has been a tale of two halves. Entering Sunday, Pickett had completed 56.2% of his passes with a touchdown and three interceptions in the first quarter and a passer rating of 45.8. Now, contrast that with the fourth quarter, when Pickett knows the stakes. Pickett is completing 73% of his passes with 374 yards, a touchdown and a pick. His passer rating is 102.8.

Tomlin addressed if the game script to begin games needed to change.

“We’re not completely married to the script,” Tomlin said. “Because some things are sight unseen, like some of the third-down things that the Rams defense was doing in the first half, for example. So there’s a script we’re not completely married to it…

“Sometimes it’s information gathering. Sometimes it’s personnel exchanges, to see how they match personnel or logistically how they deal with personnel exchanges, who’s matching up with who, what are good matchups. What are they doing versus certain approaches to football. And so there are many agendas that you’re trying to get done in the early stages of the game from a scripting perspective.”