Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott is not a believer in Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett.
Appearing on Get Up on ESPN on Friday, Scott said that he does not believe the Steelers will make the playoffs, in large part because he does not believe Pickett can be the quarterback to lead them there.
“I don’t know if they get into the playoffs, just because I think the other teams are ahead in the process and I think the weak link will eventually be the quarterback,” Scott said. “But listen, they’re going to be right there. We know Mike Tomlin doesn’t have losing seasons. We know if they’re going to do that, it’s because Pickett is a big part of their success.”
Pressed by host Mike Greenberg on whether the Steelers will make the playoffs, Scott replied with a “hell no.”
“That’s a Raven talking point right there,” Greenberg replied, though he agreed that he does not expect the Steelers to make it to the NFL postseason in 2022.
Scott joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002 and played seven seasons in Baltimore. His last game with the Ravens was the team’s loss to the Steelers in the 2008 AFC Championship Game.
Scott then went to the New York Jets in free agency, where he once again ran up against the Steelers in the playoffs in 2010 after the Jets beat the New England Patriots to advance to the AFC Championship Game.
Bart Scott in 2011. — Creative Commons
“Can’t wait,” Scott said of getting to face the Steelers in his viral postgame interview after beating the Patriots. Ironically, Scott famously shouted down the “non-believers” of the Jets in that interview, and now he is positioning himself as a non-believer of Pickett. The Steelers, of course, beat Scott and the Jets, 24-19 to advance to Super Bowl XLV.
Scott’s axe to grind against the Steelers has been a well-established one, but his skepticism about Pickett’s ability to lead the team beyond its 9-8 season in 2022 is not necessarily an uncommon one.
The Athletic recently rated Pickett as the 25th-best quarterback in the NFL ahead of the 2023 season and Pro Football Focus had him as the 22nd-best starter at the game’s most important position.
Of course, not every NFL analyst is a not-believer in the Steelers start. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said that Pickett has Joe Burrow-like traits after his visit to Steelers training camp.
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