Kenny Pickett recently reflected on his journey through the NFL, subtly contrasting his experiences with the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers as he prepared for his debut with the Cleveland Browns. His comments come after being traded from the Steelers to the Eagles last offseason, and then from Philadelphia to Cleveland earlier this year. Pickett’s reflections highlight his evolving perspective as he seeks to establish himself as a starting quarterback in the Browns’ lineup.
Gratitude for the Eagles’ Approach to Team Culture and Preparation
While Pickett has not publicly criticized his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, his remarks about his time with the Eagles suggest he learned valuable lessons about professionalism and daily teamwork. He stated,
“I’m extremely grateful for my time in Philly,”
and added,
“I think I was just shown how it was supposed to be done, really from the top down. When you get a chance to see what it’s supposed to look like, and how it should look on a day-to-day basis, not just on Sunday’s. I think it’ll pay dividends for me in the future.”
These comments indicate that Pickett views his Eagles experience as a benchmark for organizational standards, one that could influence his development in Cleveland.
Complex Ending to Pickett’s Steelers Tenure
Despite positive statements, Pickett’s separation from the Steelers was complicated. Drafted 20th overall in 2022, Pickett was the team’s starter for a significant part of the season, with a strong 12-3 record in his last 15 starts. Still, the relationship soured toward the end. Reports surfaced during Week 18 of the 2023 season claiming Pickett refused to dress for the Week 17 game against Seattle if he wasn’t starting. Although Pickett was recovering from an injury and not activated for that game, the incident contributed to tensions.
Following the season, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin assured Pickett that, while competition for the quarterback position would be open, no established veteran would be brought in to challenge him or Mason Rudolph. However, Pickett later learned from Rudolph that the team planned to acquire Russell Wilson, then being released by the Denver Broncos. This development reportedly led Pickett to request a trade, which the Steelers granted, sending him to the Eagles. With Philadelphia, Pickett started once and won, serving mostly as a backup to Jalen Hurts, the eventual Super Bowl MVP.
Moving Forward with Cleveland Browns
At his introductory press conference with Cleveland, Pickett emphasized his desire to move past the Steelers chapter. He said,
“I’m not gonna get too much into that,”
and explained,
“I feel like that’s in the past now. I had a chance to play in Philly after leaving Pittsburgh, and I’m excited to be a Brown now.”
This reveals Pickett’s focus on embracing new opportunities rather than dwelling on previous frustrations.
Terry Bradshaw Criticizes Steelers’ Treatment of Pickett
While Pickett has refrained from publicly blaming his former team, Hall of Fame quarterback and four-time Super Bowl winner Terry Bradshaw expressed strong opinions on 103.7 The Buzz. Bradshaw defended Pickett and highlighted shortcomings in the Steelers’ support system: “I liked Kenny Pickett,” Bradshaw said,
“I liked him at Pitt. I know him, I know what he’s like. When they got him to Pittsburgh, they didn’t protect him, they didn’t get him an offensive line. They wanted to run the football, but they didn’t have an offensive line that could protect and they didn’t have weapons. He had no wide receivers to speak of.”
Bradshaw continued,
“Then they throw a kid in there for two years and you’ve got an offense that doesn’t fit and doesn’t work, and they can’t run because their offensive line’s not even good enough for a run blocking team. Now, they’re saying Kenny Pickett is a failure. He wasn’t a failure, the Steelers were a failure.”
His critique places responsibility for Pickett’s struggles squarely on Pittsburgh’s roster construction and offensive scheme.
Competition for Starting Role Intensifies in Cleveland
As Pickett prepares for the upcoming season, the Browns’ quarterback room features veterans and rookies vying for playing time. Alongside Pickett are long-time Baltimore Ravens starter Joe Flacco, third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel, and fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski expressed optimism about Pickett’s potential, commenting,
“I’m really excited about what Kenny brings to this team,”
and added,
“He’s a guy who works extremely hard at his craft. I love the way he thinks about the game. He’s very, very tough. So he’s doing a nice job. As you can imagine with quarterbacks or any position, we’re throwing a lot at these guys, and I think he’s handling it really well.”
Outlook for Pickett’s Cleveland Tenure
With a fresh start in Cleveland, Kenny Pickett aims to build on the lessons learned from his time in Philadelphia and move beyond the contentious end to his Pittsburgh career. His insights into organizational expectations and his coach’s praise position him as a promising candidate to compete for the Browns’ starting quarterback job. How Pickett navigates this competition and adapts to the team’s system will be critical to his success moving forward.