The Pittsburgh Steelers have been fortunate adequate to have some magnificent quarterbacks for very long periods. Back in the 1970s, Terry Bradshaw led the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories, then in the early 2000s, they drafted Ben Roethlisberger, who picked up some other two Lombardi Trophies. The section we discuss about much less is the in-between years, the Nineties and now the 2020s because Roethlisberger’s retirement. That is why the majority of the fan base was so joyful when the team drafted Kenny Pickett in 2022 with their first-round selection.
Pickett, who played for the University of Pittsburgh, confirmed amazing attainable all through his time in the Steel City. This also made him very acquainted to the group which provided some additional comfort, honestly they would not have selected him if he wasn’t capable. But Pickett has struggled to locate his footing in the NFL and it isn’t quite clear why. Some just assume he is not as talented as touted, whilst others factor to him being hindered by the horrible play-calling of former Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. There are some who just suppose he wants more time to develop, but now there is a assessment being drawn between Pickett and an notorious Steelers quarterback, Bubby Brister.
Is Kenny Pickett The Modern Version Of Bubby Brister?
Recently, Steelers superfan Joe Manganiello joined sports activities reporter and TV character Rich Eisen on his show, The Rich Eisen Show. The two mentioned the Steelers’ quarterback situation and the wonderful truth that T.J. Watt was now not named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Eisen requested Manganiello who he’d like to see as the quarterback of the Steelers in 2024. Manganiello said that he honestly liked what Mason Rudolph did with the crew in the closing three games of the season. After Pickett suffered an harm in Week 13, backup Mitch Trubisky took over for him, but was unable to muster up any wins in 2023. That led Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin to make a daring choice and begin third-string quarterback, and longtime Pittsburgh backup, Rudolph.
Rudolph not solely won the final three video games and helped the Steelers sneak into the playoffs, however he used to be scoring touchdowns (something Pickett had been unable to do consistently). He used to be able to put at least 30 factors on the scoreboard for the first time all season, twice. Manganiello said that it felt like Rudolph and the team “clicked,” but he wonders if the group is in the variety of spot they have been in at some stage in the late ’90s and the guy they drafted is a high draft pick. Eisen stops him in the center of his notion to ask for clarification.
“Wait a minute, are you calling Kenny Pickett your Bubby Brister? Is that what you’re saying,” requested Eisen.
Brister was once selected in the draft later than Pickett, it used to be the 0.33 spherical of the 1986 NFL Draft. Since he grew up in Louisiana, he was compared to Bradshaw proper off the bat, which probable helped set him up for failure, he should no longer live up to those expectations. He started as the backup to Bradshaw’s successor, Mark Malone for his first two seasons in Pittsburgh.
Malone was inconsistent and was once never in a position to lead the group successfully. He was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1988, and the followers have been relieved. That left Brister to compete and win the starting job the subsequent season. Brister had some career highlights at some stage in his four years as a starter and started out out as a fan favored (much like Pickett). Brister used to be a serviceable quarterback. He was by no means going to be Bradshaw and after the group drafted Neil O’Donnell, he noticed the writing on the wall that his days as a starter have been numbered. Manganiello said he hopes Pickett has a more favorable outcome.
“I hope that it is Kenny,” said Manganiello. “I hope that he can rebound this year. I hope that with a new offensive coordinator, matters are going to click. I think that was the problem with bringing again the offensive coordinator closing 12 months is that we didn’t get a simply awesome seem to be at Kenny with a extraordinary OC.”
Certainly, everybody hopes that Pickett isn’t always the subsequent Brister. In an perfect world, he develops more than Brister used to be capable to. Eisen consents that he thinks if everyone can get him where he needs to be, it is the new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith, calling him “just what the medical doctor ordered.” He sees Smith as a best match for Pittsburgh and referred to that he has all the traits that the Steelers had been seeking.
The Steelers are actually going to have a big selection to make concerning their starting quarterback. Tomlin stood by using and allowed Rudolph to finish out the season, notwithstanding Pickett being healthy. But the team has said that they will permit for a quarterback competition. Most insiders believe they will stand firmly behind Pickett and permit him to play his 1/3 season. Regardless, the group will nevertheless need to select up at least one greater quarterback this offseason both by free company or the draft for depth.
