The Steelers drafted quarterback Kenny Pickett two years in the past partly as a result of they knew him effectively from his time at Pitt. Possibly they did not know him effectively sufficient.
They did not know he would not take getting benched effectively, or that he’d bristle on the signing of one other potential beginning quarterback.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette lately reported that the Steelers traded Pickett to the Eagles “due to his habits and expressed unhappiness over the arrival” of Russell Wilson.
Per Dulac, Pickett canceled an out-of-town exercise with Steelers receivers the day after Wilson agreed to signal with the Steelers.
Dulac additionally factors to Pickett’s allegedly “petulant habits” late final season, after he returned from ankle surgical procedure however was not restored because the starter. Mason Rudolph saved the job as an alternative.
“All of it got here to a head in Week 17 in Seattle when he refused to decorate because the emergency third quarterback,” Dulac writes.
So Pickett goes from being in competitors with Wilson to begin to being No. 2, at greatest, behind Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.
Clearly, if Pickett had performed higher in 24 begins over two seasons, the Steelers would not have moved on. They are usually affected person, particularly with quarterbacks taken in spherical one.
As coach Mike Tomlin at all times says, he desires volunteers not hostages. Pickett apparently did not need to be there. Tomlin and the Steelers apparently determined to not drive it.
Pickett now embarks on the backup section of his profession, two seasons after it began. Time will inform whether or not he reveals sufficient in Philly to get an opportunity to play elsewhere. He’ll must outgrow no matter angle issues triggered the Steelers not solely to discover a probably higher choice but additionally to unload him.