Steelers make huge QB announcement ahead of must-win Week 18 vs. Ravens

Head coach Mike Tomlin announced Monday that despite being cleared to return following TightRope surgery on his ankle, Pickett will be the team's backup signal-caller behind 2018 third-round pick Mason Rudolph when Pittsburgh plays the Baltimore Ravens (13-3) in Week 18.

The Steelers (9-7) are currently outside of the playoff picture and need to beat the Ravens on the road and get help from other teams to make the postseason.

"I anticipate (Pickett) being available to practice. That being said, we're gonna leave the ball in Mason Rudolph's hands," Tomlin said on Monday. "(Rudolph's) done a good job, and we've done a good job in the most recent two weeks. We've taken care of the ball. He's taking care of the ball. We score points at a rate and which we hadn't done to this point this year. And with the urgency of the moment and because of those reasons, we're going to leave the ball in his hands."

For the second year in a row, Pickett has battled injuries all season.

Despite early exits due to a bone bruise (Week 4 vs. Houston Texans) and a rib injury (Week 8 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars), the 25-year-old suited up for each of Pittsburgh's first 12 games of the year. In Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals, however, he suffered a high ankle sprain after just 30 snaps and prematurely left the contest.

The Steelers have lost each of the three games this season when Pickett has been knocked out with an injury. Pittsburgh has gone 7-5 in his 12 starts during the 2023 campaign and he's posted a 62.0 completion percentage for 2,070 passing yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions (81.4 passer rating).

Former Pro Bowler Mitchell Trubisky replaced Pickett under center following his injuries against the Texans, Jaguars and Cardinals and made starts in Weeks 14 and 15 (both losses) vs. the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, respectively.

Rudolph, who has been on the roster the longest amongst the trio of quarterbacks, is seeing his first significant action since 2019 when he set career highs in games played (10) and started (eight). Rudolph was inactive through the first 13 weeks of the campaign and didn't play in Week 14 against the Patriots but handled six snaps in Week 15 and started the last two games.

The Oklahoma State product has led the Steelers to back-to-back victories and the team has posted 30-plus points in both games for the first time all year. He's gone 37-for-54 for 567 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions (115.3 passer rating) across his three games.